Committee reviews resolve to create vehicle for future Northern Maine transmission approval

State Sen. Mark Lawrence, the sponsor and senate chair of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, presented LD 596, a resolve intended as a legislative vehicle to approve a future Northern Maine high‑impact electric transmission project.

The bill matters because it would allow the Legislature to provide a timely authorization if the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) selects a transmission proposal in a forthcoming procurement designed to connect Northern Maine renewable resources to ISO New England. Proponents said the measure would preserve the PUCrole in reviewing costs and public‑interest findings while allowing the Legislature to act quickly when a project emerges.

Lawrence told the committee the bill is essentially a placeholder. "The bidder on that contract actually withdrew their contract, withdrew their bid, so we expect the PUC is gonna be going through a new process," he said, explaining why the legislative vehicle could be needed over the next two years.

Public advocate Heather Sanborn briefed the committee on the statutory and procurement history underlying the proposal. She described a 2021 law establishing a Northern Maine program that required the PUC to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to develop transmission lines to connect renewable energy in Northern Maine to the ISO New England grid and to procure associated generation projects. "The PUC is required to pre approve the construction of a high impact transmission line through the issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity upon finding that the construction of the line is in the public interest," Sanborn said. She noted that after term sheets were approved, the transmission bidder sought significant changes to pricing terms and that, in December 2023, the PUC terminated the procurement and said it would initiate a new procurement.

Sanborn emphasized the PUCrole in assessing costs and benefits to ratepayers and Northern Maine and said a legislative vehicle would preserve the PUCreview and let the Legislature act quickly if needed. She also flagged a parallel, longer‑term regional transmission initiative led by ISO New England, the Long‑Term Transmission Plan, and upgrades proposed for the Pittsfield station as factors affecting timing.

Representative Nathan Wadsworth pressed for clarification on why the Legislature would act again. "My understanding of the procedure here ... is that the legislature effectively has to authorize this transmission line twice," Sanborn replied, explaining that statute contemplates a second legislative authorization after procurement.

Karen Blaylock, climate and energy policy adviser for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, testified in support. She cited prior stakeholder work that led to an amendment to LD 2087 to improve community engagement and said any process resulting from consideration of LD 596 "must consider the 3 c's, climate, conservation, and community." Blaylock said properly sited transmission is necessary to meet the state's climate goals while minimizing costs to ratepayers.

The hearing record included no formal motions or committee votes on LD 596 during the session. Committee members and witnesses discussed procurement history, the PUC's certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) process, the potential role of out‑of‑state utilities in sharing project costs, and the need for stakeholder engagement if a new RFP proceeds.

Next steps described in testimony: the PUC is expected to reopen procurement in the coming years, and LD 596 would serve as a legislative authorization vehicle should a bid progress through the PUC review and CPCN process. The committee received testimony in support and did not take final action on the resolve during the hearing.