ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 5, 2021
Despite criticism of the New England Clean Energy Connect project, state regulators have begun the process of collecting proposals for a high-voltage transmission line to serve as a conduit for renewable energy projects in northern Maine. A state law required the Maine Public Utilities Commission to begin planning for a transmission capacity of at least 345 kilovolts to connect northern Maine renewable energy projects to the New England power grid. The project aims to address one of the obstacles to renewable projects in rural Maine – access to the power grid. Proposals to the Maine Public Utilities Commission are due March 1.