The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set newsroom policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the paper or in the Newsroom bangordailynews.com.
Ben Lucas is a senior government relations specialist at the Maine Chamber of Commerce.
For years, many companies have recognized and promoted the vast renewable resource potential of Aroostook County. From biomass and hydropower to solar and wind power, efforts have been made to harness The County’s low-cost, clean energy resources and inject them into the existing regional power grid located near Bangor. In the absence of sufficient upgrades to the electrical system in northern Maine, this dream has not been realized. Now is the time to turn those dreams into reality.
In the spring of 2024, the partisan leadership demonstrated by Senate President Troy Jackson and Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart led to the passage of L.D. 1710Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program. In late 2024, after issuing an RFP and managing a competitive procurement process, a Selected by the Maine Public Utilities Commission A transmission developer (LS Power Grid Maine LLC) and generation developer (Longroad Energy LLC) to build transmission and wind generation in order to cost-effectively unlock the county’s clean energy potential. Utilities Commission in evaluating the economic cost and benefits of Northern Maine along with other criteria determined:
“This group of projects is much less expensive than any other alternative group of transmission and generation projects and meets legal criteria.” and “Each proposal demonstrated a project of sufficient size that would bring benefits to Northern Maine in the form of jobs, property taxes, and other economic benefits.”
Determining diversified support for a business such as this often occurs solely because of the benefits the venture will provide to Maine and the region. These benefits include:
Low-cost, fixed-price renewable energy on contract over the next two decades that provides fuel versatility and reduces reliance on volatile natural gas generation.
Billion dollar investment in renewable energy and transmission in Maine that directly benefits Maine.
Suppression of wholesale energy market prices leading to Hundreds of millions of dollars savings in energy costs over the life of these facilities.
Employing hundreds in high-paying construction jobs for several years, not to mention the state and local work and networking required to help drive these projects to construction.
Great new revenue base for local sales and property tax.
Helping Maine meet its renewable energy goals – 80 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040.
Transmission system flexibility and redundancy when considering the impact of weather extremes.
The Economic and Environmental Development Initiative—which benefits the entire state of Maine—has brought together a cross-section of supporting organizations, including business and environmental groups. For example, file Aroostook Partnership for Progressthe Maine Office of the Public DefenderAnd Governing Energy OfficeAnd Maine Chamber of CommerceAnd Maine associated general contractorsAnd Maine Natural Resources BoardAnd Maine AudubonAnd Maine votersAnd The Nature Conservancy And Conservation Law FoundationFor example but not limited to.
For our state to experience the benefits of this effort, the first step is to ensure network upgrades receive legislative approval through passage L.D. 924. This is an important signal of support to send to the two companies selected to build multi-billion dollar projects. Most importantly, there will be ample opportunity for Mainers to participate in the local, state, and federal licensing processes.
Time and time again, we’ve thought of ways to attract new investment, create jobs for Maine businesses, and offer new tax value to municipalities, all in an environmentally sustainable way. These two projects deliver exactly that. We ask Miners to stand with the Maine Chamber of Commerce and many others and let your elected officials know that you strongly urge them to vote in support of LD 924 for Maine-made energy that benefits Miners.