Governor Janet Mills released the following today on the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) issuance of its latest request for proposals for renewable energy:
“The solicitation released today stems from bipartisan clean energy legislation I signed in 2019, which puts Maine on a trajectory to meet its nation-leading targets for curbing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and developing affordable, renewable energy resources right here in our state,” said Governor Mills. “As called for by Maine’s four-year Climate Action Plan, Maine Won’t Wait, I am committed to creating a flourishing clean energy sector in Maine to combat the effects of climate change on our state, strengthen our economy, and grow sustaining, good-paying jobs across Maine.”
The request for proposals issued today by the PUC is the result of bipartisan legislation, LD 1494, “An Act To Reform Maine's Renewable Portfolio Standard” sponsored by Senator Eloise Vitelli and signed into law by Governor Mills. LD 1494 increased Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard from 40 percent to 80 percent by 2030 and set a goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.
This request for proposals is the second procurement to stem from this legislation and is another major step toward reaching those renewable energy goals and strengthening Maine’s economy. The first procurement, the largest in Maine’s history, resulted in the selection of 17 projects to deliver clean energy to Maine at highly competitive prices.