Maine Public | By Peter McGuire
Published November 2, 2025

Maine's utility regulators have restarted the process of selecting contractors to build a massive wind power development and extensive electric transmission line in Aroostook County.

The Public Utilities Commission is considering comments it received on a draft request for proposals it filed for the project last month.

The state wants to develop 1,200 megawatts of renewable power and connect it to the New England electric grid with a power line that could stretch more than 100 miles.

Commission chair Phil Bartlett said the proposal comes as the regional grid operator ISO-New England is preparing to select projects to upgrade transmission across the region. Electric demand is growing and expected to soar in coming years.

"There is going to be significant infrastructure investments that will be needed going forward no matter what we do," Bartlett said.

"The question is what kind of resources do we want to procure what kind of economic developments do we want to secure for the state of Maine in that process," he added.

Article continues at  https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2025-11-02/maine-renews-push-for-aroostook-county-wind-development

************************************* 

Fair Use Notice: This website may reproduce or have links to copyrighted material the use of which has not been expressly authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available, without profit, as part of our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, economic, scientific, and related issues. It is our understanding that this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided by law. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.