ISO says power will stay on

New England grid operators expect demand for and use of electricity to hit their highest points yet this winter on as bone-chilling cold takes over Friday and Saturday, but they also expect they will have more than enough power available to meet that demand.

ISO-New England said Thursday that it “is anticipating normal power system operations this week, even as bitter cold temperatures are forecast.” Demand is projected to stretch beyond 19,000 megawatts on Friday and to just over 18,000 MW on Saturday, but the grid operator’s forecast anticipates that it will have a surplus of at least 6,000 MW of capacity above the projected demand each day.

“This would represent the highest demand so far this winter, but remain below the ISO’s seasonal forecast for peak conditions,” ISO-NE said, adding that it thinks total electricity use will peak at 371 GWh on Saturday.

Treasury makes more electric SUVs eligible for tax credits

The Treasury Department said Friday it is making more electric vehicles — including SUVs made by Tesla, Ford and General Motors — eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 under new vehicle classification definitions.

The revised standards for EV tax credits follow lobbying by automakers that had pressed the Biden administration to change vehicle definitions to allow higherpriced vehicles to qualify for a maximum tax credit.

Under the sweeping climate law approved last summer, pickup trucks, SUVs and vans with a sticker price up to $80,000 qualify for EV tax credits, while new electric cars, sedans and wagons can only be priced up to $55,000.