Announcing the results of a request for proposals, the Maine Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 25 said that it has identified a preferred transmission project and selected an 800-megawatt onshore wind project with which to enter contract negotiations.
The RFP was issued pursuant to the Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program.
For the transmission portion of the project, the Commission found the proposal of Avangrid Networks for a 1,200 MW line terminating at Haynseville to be the best, noting that it utilizes existing transmission corridors to the maximum practical extent, and the developer has secured nearly all rights of way for the project. It also demonstrated the strongest viability within a commercially reasonable timeframe, the PUC said.
For the generation portion of the project, the 800-MW onshore wind project proposed by Clearway Energy Group LLC received an award for both energy and RECs, contingent on the transmission portion moving forward.
Maine's share of the project will be approximately 600 MW.
Clearway was determined to be the most cost-effective project that will provide the maximum benefit for Maine ratepayers.
This selection leaves 400 MW of capacity available on the transmission line, and the Commission will issue additional RFPs to maximize the utilization of the transmission line.
The procurement is a multi-state effort, with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Rhode Island participating alongside Maine to efficiently integrate northern Maine resources into the broader regional grid, while coordinating cost allocation, interconnection standards, and project oversight.
“This collaboration is aimed at maximizing benefits for Maine ratepayers. The states will share in the costs of the transmission line, with Maine responsible for less than 11% of the cost of the line,” the PUC said.
Next steps in the process include finalizing the power purchase agreement with Clearway for Maine’s portion of the output (600 MW) of new generation and the Commission’s final review and approval of that contract for new generation.
Because the transmission component of the project will be subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Maine Commission recommended that the New England States Committee on Electricity (the recognized regional state committee by FERC) work with the coordinating states and Avangrid to finalize a voluntary agreement, which will then be submitted to FERC for approval.
