After years of delays, commission advances northern Maine transmission and wind project

The Maine Public Utilities Commission will finally move forward with plans for a new transmission line to northern Maine and an 800 megawatt wind project.

At a regular meeting Tuesday, commissioners selected Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power, to build the transmission line and Clearway Energy Group to build the onshore wind project.

The bid selection marks a major milestone for the Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program, which has struggled to move projects forward.

A coalition of environmental groups — including the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Audubon, Maine Conservation Alliance, Conservation Law Foundation and Acadia Center — released a joint statement that noted some of the benefits but stopped short of endorsing the projects, saying they plan to listen to the concerns of local communities and analyze their impact to surrounding ecosystems.

“With careful siting, thoughtful design and responsible operation, the clean energy projects identified today will deliver reliable, affordable electricity to Mainers while reducing the pollution that is threatening our health and fueling changes to our climate that are already being felt across the state,” the groups stated.

To read the full article from Maine Morning Star, click here.