The proposed King Pine wind farm would be located west of Houlton and feature 179 wind turbines, making it the largest onshore wind project east of the Mississippi River. Rated at 1,000 megawatts and expected to produce 3.18 billion kilowatt-hours a year, the $2 billion project could generate enough electricity to power 450,000 typical homes when running full tilt. It would be built by renewable power developer Longroad Energy of Boston.
Power would flow over a new transmission line running more than 100 miles from southern Aroostook County to Pittsfield. Designed to carry up to 1,200 megawatts, the line would be built by the New York-based energy infrastructure developer LS Power, and be operational as soon as 2028.
Crucial details have yet to be decided or made public, such as the precise route of the corridor, how wide it would be and its potential impact on land that’s important for ecological and recreational reasons. It’s noteworthy, however, that the process has received backing from some influential environmental groups, such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
“These are exactly the types of Maine-based clean energy projects we’ll need to stabilize energy prices by reducing the region’s dependence on fossil fuels,” said Jack Shapiro, the group’s climate and clean energy director.
Shapiro added that the group will look for the developers to “abide by the highest community engagement and environmental standards as the planning and construction moves ahead.”
The projects were selected in November following a bid process by the PUC. The Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program is a product of a 2021 state law designed to remove obstacles and promote the development of renewable energy resources in northern Maine.
The PUC spent months scrutinizing competing proposals that sought to satisfy the law’s criteria, including the cost to taxpayers, economic benefits to northern Maine and contribution to the state’s climate goals.
Last October, Massachusetts signed a memorandum of understanding with the PUC, outlining terms by which the Bay State would consider the northern Maine energy proposals. The terms are based on requirements in a recently passed clean energy law in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and Attorney General’s Office determined on Dec. 30 that the two projects would provide cost-effective clean energy to electric ratepayers in Massachusetts and the region, contribute to the state’s decarbonization goals, and reduce ratepayer costs and improve energy security during winter months.
The combination of these two projects will help lower wholesale electricity prices in Maine and New England, the commission determined, and save Mainers $1.08 billion over 20 years, based on contract payments minus estimates of future energy costs.
Next up: Each project will face regular reviews in Maine from state and federal agencies. To move forward, both projects must win certificates of public convenience from the PUC, land-use permits from the Department of Environmental Protection, and approvals from ISO-New England and federal agencies.
Legislative approval also is needed. That requirement was put in place by referendum in 2021, for projects that meet the definition of high-voltage transmission line. The requirement was the product of opposition to the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project in western Maine, which was rejected by Maine voters. Construction was subsequently suspended and its future hinges on ongoing legal challenges, specifically an April court trial.
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