Maine lawmakers outline competing visions for energy policy, agree affordability is key

Lawrence suggested Maine can expand its renewable energy sectors to export more power and boost economic growth. But their Republican colleagues see it differently."

Published on: November 28, 2025

......................The policy outlook panel hosted by the chamber featured four lawmakers with deep institutional knowledge, gained from their  years on the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee: Sen. Mark Lawrence (D-York), the Senate co-chair; Rep. Melanie Sachs (D-Freeport), the House co-chair; Rep. Steve Foster (R-Dexter), ranking committee member; and Sen. Matt Harrington (R-York), the assistant Senate Republican leader. (You can watch their discussion here; it starts at 3:19.)

Solar policy has been among the most divisive issues handled by the committee. Maine has wrestled in recent years to adjust financial incentives, championed by Democrats, that unleashed a wave of solar development but proved too generous and created a multi-million-dollar burden for electric customers. A recent law, L.D. 1777, restructured the incentives and set the stage for designing a successor program.

During the panel discussion, Sachs and Lawrence expressed satisfaction with the reforms, with Lawrence saying solar policy is now “in the rearview mirror.” But Harrington and Foster disagreed, saying the changes didn’t go far enough. Whether solar stays in the rearview mirror will depend on whether Democrats remain in the driver’s seat, or if a suit filed this week by the solar industry to block the law gets traction.

On the challenge of balancing affordability with clean energy goals, Sachs said Maine can do both. And Lawrence suggested Maine can expand its renewable energy sectors to export more power and boost economic growth. But their Republican colleagues see it differently.

Referring to a large wind farm in Bingham, near his district, Foster noted it was built to satisfy out-of-state contracts and didn’t directly benefit Maine electric customers. More pointedly, Harrington questioned the entire premise of building clean energy projects to meet “our climate goals.”

Harrington continued: “I do not share in those goals. The last six years in the Maine Legislature, the only focus has been on ‘their climate goals.’ There has been zero emphasis on affordability. And Maine people are feeling that so badly today.”

Continue article at https://themainemonitor.org/maine-lawmakers-outline-competing-energ...

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