Dive Brief:

• A contract to study the adequacy of natural gas systems to serve electricity generation in the Eastern Interconnection has languished because of the federal government shutdown that just ended.
• The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative had issued a request for proposals for the study to address scenarios that would replace coal-fired generation in the region. It would involve ISO New England, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the New York Independent System Operator, the PJM Interconnection, the Tennessee Valley Authority and Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator.
• An ISO New England official said finalizing the contract was delayed by the shutdown.

Dive Insight: 

The latest federal government shutdown may be over but the myriad ramifications, small and large, for the energy sector are impossible to quantify. The tale of the delayed contract is just one example.