Pursuant to Public Law 2019, Chapter 71 (LD 1796) the Governor’s Energy Office convened a stakeholder group to identify and develop strategies to address the transmission grid reliability and electric rate stability for the northern Maine service territory and submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.
The Resolve directed that in its review of transmission grid reliability and electric rate stability for the northern Maine service territory, the stakeholder group shall, at a minimum, address and develop recommendations concerning:
- The continued need to assess reliability in the northern Maine service territory;
- The shutdown of biomass plants in the region, such as those in Fort Fairfield and Ashland, that have in the past been essential to addressing reliability concerns;
- The region’s fuel security, competitive supply and rate volatility resulting from its reliance on generation resources in the region; and
- Opportunities for transmission and non-transmission alternatives to address the current and projected reliability and rate stability needs of the region.
The stakeholder group was required to include representatives of:
- The Governor’s Energy Office
- The Public Utilities Commission
- The Office of the Public Advocate
- The Northern Maine Independent System Administrator;
- A municipal government in northern Maine;
- A large industrial electric utility customer located in northern Maine;
- A trade association representing businesses located in northern Maine;
- A trade association representing the forest products industry;
- An investor-owned transmission and distribution utility serving northern Maine;
- Two different consumer-owned transmission and distribution utilities located in northern Maine; and
- An energy generator located in northern Maine.