Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine
Maine revives Aroostook County wind power project
Maine Public | By Peter McGuire
Published December 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM EST
Maine utility regulators are jumpstarting a major new wind power development and electric transmission line in Northern Maine.
The Public Utilities Commission released a request for proposals last week and asked private developers to submit bids for the project by the end of February.
The agency intends to build turbines that can produce up to 1,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 475,000 homes. The development is meant to be paired with a major new transmission line linking wind generation near Houlton to an upgraded substation in Pittsfield.
PUC Chair Phil Bartlett said in an interview that the project offers New England an opportunity for significant new inexpensive power at a time of surging electricity demand and high prices.
"Whether you support renewable energy or not, we think this is a really valuable project because it is going to inject a lot of new energy at a when we are going to need it," Bartlett said.
The PUC awarded a similar contract for a power and transmission project in 2022, but cancelled the deal about a year later over cost concerns.
"With the expectation that we will continue to see demand for electricity to grow in the next 10 years this really is much needed to make sure we have the resources available in the region to provide electricity reliably," Bartlett said.
In a press release, Dan Burgess acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Energy Resources said the commission's request for proposals is "a critical step toward unlocking more affordable, reliable clean energy for Maine and the region."
Continue reading at https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2025-12-22/maine-revives-aroostook-county-wind-power-project
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Dan McKay
All demand needs could be met easily by allowing the expansion of natural gas pipelines in New England. Bartlett is only going to fight for the Democrat's who would rather chokehold Maine electric customers. He needs to go.
10 hours ago
Dan McKay
Bartlett fails to mention that any wind project charges for Renewable Energy Certificates on top of the energy charge. The Power Purchase Agreements conducted by the PUC do not include this subsidy which can add 5 cents per kilowatt hour. The PUC conceals this information from the public. Every Renewable Energy Certificate is an add on to the supply portion of monthly bills. Is this the type of behavior one should expect from someone who determines what will be paid for electricity? Bartlett should be fired.
10 hours ago
Willem Post
Great comments, Dan
That 300 mile power line to New Hampshire is a subsidy to the moneyed elites to fatten their 25-year, no risk tax shelters.
Those tax shelters follow traditional Wall Street tax shelters structures.
With enough subsidies, you can gold-plate anything that looks utterly foolish, on hindsight,
The midlands of Ireland are being used by the UK to produce electricity.
Ireland has become a energy colony of the UK, just as Maine is an energy colony of Mass and Conn
7 hours ago