August 25, 2026 (Augusta, ME) – Maine’s leading conservation and environmental groups today expressed support for the Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) decision to advance Northern Maine clean energy and transmission projects, saying they will help reduce Maine’s reliance on out-of-state oil and gas, the primary driver of high energy costs in Maine, and curb pollution fueling climate change.
The PUC has selected an 800-megawatt (MW) onshore wind project developed by Clearway Energy to deliver affordable, reliable clean electricity to Maine and the rest of New England. Avangrid was named to develop a transmission line capable of carrying this new energy to the regional electric grid.
According to the PUC, the projects are expected to provide about $400 million in net benefits for Mainers’ electric bills, 2,500 full-time jobs building the projects, $150 million in new state and local tax revenue, and more than $2.4 billion in overall investment and economic activity, with a significant portion in Aroostook County, all while adding a major source of homegrown clean energy to diversify Maine’s electricity supply.
In response to today’s announcement, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Audubon, Maine Conservation Alliance, Conservation Law Foundation, and Acadia Center released the following joint statement:
“Maine families and local businesses are suffering from high electricity prices because of our region’s dependence on imported oil and gas. The best path forward is to diversify our energy mix with more new sources of clean energy.
With careful siting, thoughtful design, and responsible operation, the clean energy projects identified today will deliver reliable, affordable electricity to Mainers while reducing the pollution that is threatening our health and fueling changes to our climate that are already being felt across the state.
Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our woods, waters, and wildlife. Protecting the places we love for future generations includes advancing responsibly developed clean energy, which is why we will work with people across Maine to make sure these projects are held to high standards for the environment and ultimately benefit the local communities that host them.”
The groups stopped short of endorsing the specific projects, saying they will now take the time to listen to the concerns of local communities and analyze their impact to surrounding ecosystems. The projects will be subject to extensive permitting processes and requirements that will serve as opportunities to ensure the developers are held to the high environmental standards that exist here in Maine.
