After years of planning, false starts, and a bitterly fought campaign to kill it, the fate of one of Massachusetts’ most important clean energy projects is set to be decided in a Portland, Maine, courtroom where a trial begins Monday.

At stake is the New England Clean Energy Connect, a $1 billion, 145-mile-long transmission line that would bring hydro-electric power from Canada through the rugged Maine wilderness and into Massachusetts, providing enough electricity to power more than 1 million homes in the state.

The developer of the transmission line, Central Maine Power, is challenging an order from the state to halt construction after voters in November 2021 approved a ballot referendum that saddled the company with additional requirements and conditions.

“There’s no question that transmission has to be built and that we’re losing precious time with each individual battle having to be this hard and take this long,” said Amy Boyd, vice president of climate and clean energy policy at the clean energy advocacy organization Acadia Center.

You can read the full article on the Boston Globe site here.