Perhaps Massive Purchases Of Canadian Hydropower Would Not Be A Panacea

Governor Baker recently submitted Senate Bill No. 1965 to the Legislature.  It calls for utilities to solicit long-term purchases of renewable energy.  We are talking about as much as 1/3 of Massachusetts' annual electricity use over a 15-25 year period.  Two rationales are often provided to justify the large purchase of Canadian hydropower.  First, cheap hydropower will ameliorate the high cost of electricity.  Second, it will help Massachusetts attain its initial Global Warming Solutions Act goal of reducing GHG emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.  Sounds like a win-win.

However, a report issued earlier this month by Susan Tierney of Analysis Group provides a cautionary note about the likely results of the bill's passage.  Tierney makes several cogent points: