Wind Technician

Maine selects company to build large wind farm, plus a transmission line, to send power south. * Peter McGuire, Maine Public August 26, 2026 Maine utility regulators have selected two companies to develop untapped wind power resources in the northern part of the state, part of an eagerly anticipated clean energy project supported by most New England states. The Maine Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday selected Clearway Energy Group LLC to develop onshore wind turbines that can generate 800 megawatts of electricity in Aroostook County near the Canadian border. Commissioners also chose the company Avangrid to develop a new high voltage power line to connect the proposed wind turbines to the New England regional electric grid. With the Trump administration effectively hitting pause on offshore wind development, this land-based wind farm represents one of the only remaining opportunities to develop significant renewable energy resources in the region. The proposed wind farm would be the largest in Maine, which now has about 900 total megawatts of land-based wind generation. Phil Bartlett, who leads the commission, said the project will save Maine electric customers at least $387 million over its lifetime. Support WBUR "These transmission and generation projects will bring substantial economic benefits to the state, creating thousands of full-time jobs during construction and $2.4 billion in economic output," Bartlett said in a statement. The transmission side of the project could also connect Aroostook County directly to the New England power system, a precursor to developing the area's substantial renewable energy resources, said Commissioner Patrick Scully. "In my prior career, I saw up close the challenge of siting new energy projects in northern Maine, caused by the cost of building long transmission facilities to access the New England market, and the significant congestion on existing transmission infrastructure," Scully said. Maine plans to buy 600 megawatts of power from the project, with the remainder being delivered to other New England states, according to spokesperson Susan Faloon. Ratepayers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island will share the cost of building the transmission line with Maine. In a statement, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper praised the procurement results. "Energy demand is rising, and we need more affordable power for resident and businesses. The selected transmission project will deliver clean, affordable energy throughout New England," she said. "Massachusetts is proud to be a part of this effort to increase energy supply and lower bills." Further details of the proposed deal will be available after the commission finalizes a power purchase contract with Clearway, Faloon said. Nick Benjamin, Clearway's northeastern development director, in an interview said the project is planned for commercial timberland in rural, unincorporated southeast Aroostook County. Support WBUR Major site attributes include existing roads, proximity to electric transmission right of way and reliable wind speeds, Benjamin said. "This project is going to keep energy costs stable for Maine families and business for decades to come, while bringing material economic investment to Northern Maine and meeting the state and region's grid needs," Benjamin added. It will take years to permit and develop the project and building new generation is contingent on a new transmission line, according to the commission. The Maine Legislature directed the Public Utilities Commission to develop wind generation and transmission in northern Maine in 2021. An earlier project fell through in late 2023 after negotiations over the power line failed. Avangrid spokesperson Jon Breed, in a statement said a distinguishing feature of its proposal is its use of existing power corridors and rights of way that will reduce uncertainty and limit potential disruptions to the environment. "While selection is an important milestone, extensive engineering, environmental review, permitting, and community engagement remains ahead," Breed said. This is a production of the New England News Collaborative. It was originally published by Maine Public. WBUR's Miriam Wasser contributed reporting.

Clearway Energy wind farm and Avangrid transmission proposals selected for Aroostook County renewable energy push. August 25, 2026 The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced the winning bids today for the Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program: a new 800-megawatt onshore wind farm in Aroostook County proposed by Clearway Energy Group, and a transmission line to Haynesville proposed by Avangrid. Details of the proposals have been kept confidential so far. Clearway Energy is one of the largest owners of renewable energy generation projects in the United States. Avangrid is the U.S. subsidiary of Iberdrola that owns Central Maine Power. The selections mark a significant milestone in the yearslong push to build transmission infrastructure capable of delivering new, utility-scale renewable energy to New England's electric grid. The Public Utilities Commission previously chose different winners following a 2021 request for proposals, but the projects fell through in 2023 without being built as costs rose following the COVID-19 pandemic. Avangrid's transmission proposal appeared to be the most viable within "a commercially reasonable timeframe," said chair of the commission, Philip Bartlett. The proposal won the bid in large part because it would use existing transmission corridors where the company has already secured rights of way, he added. This time around, Maine is working together with four other New England states. This multi-state procurement process is unprecedented, according to the commissioners. Maine's share of the transmission line costs is expected to be less than 11 percent, and the projects are expected to create 2,500 jobs in the state during construction. The program is also expected to benefit the climate. Wind tends to blow most strongly in the winter when energy costs soar as oil generators need to be brought online. Having this additional renewable energy on the grid is expected to reduce oil-fueled power generation by more than 10 percent, according to Commissioner Carolyn Gilbert. "This both reduces emissions and increases reliability and reduces costs," she said. The Public Utilities Commission still needs to finalize contract terms with the two companies, and then the projects will need to apply for the necessary permits. The transmission line is required to have 1200 megawatts of capacity, so 400 megawatts will still be available after the Clearway wind farm is built. The commission expects to issue another request for proposals for generation projects in Aroostook County to use that transmission capacity. RECENT PRESS RELEASES August 25, 2026

BLM seeks input on Clearway's 500-MW Nevada solar. Aug 10, 2026 10:01 AM ET * Nevada's proposed 500MW Mosey Solar project is open for public comment - BLM will shape its Resource Management Plan and EIS through Aug. 28, plus 850MW storage. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management opened a public comment period for a proposed 500-megawatt Mosey Solar project in Nevada, submitted by Clearway Energy Group LLC through a project vehicle. BLM will accept feedback through Aug. 28 to help shape a Resource Management Plan amendment and a related Environmental Impact Statement. The project would cover about 3,565 acres of BLM-managed land in Clark and Nye counties' Pahrump Valley, connecting to the existing Trout Canyon substation. It also calls for an 850 MW battery energy storage system. The draft EIS is due Jan. 1, 2027, with the final version expected by Dec. 17, 2027, while construction is planned to begin in October 2028 and commissioning in summer 2030. What public input shapes Nevada's 500 MW Mosey Solar and 850 MW storage? * Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment scope: Public comments help determine what land-use changes are proposed for the Mosey Solar area on Bureau of Land Management-managed parcels, including how compatibility with existing plans is defined. * Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) content: Feedback shapes what alternatives and impact analyses the Environmental Impact Statement must evaluate (e.g., siting variants, design/layout options, and different levels of solar-plus-storage integration). * Land use and siting preferences: Comments can influence where within the project area solar arrays, battery enclosures, substations, and supporting facilities should be located to reduce conflicts with sensitive uses and resources. * Wildlife and habitat protections: Input from tribes, residents, conservation groups, and scientists can guide requirements for avoiding or mitigating impacts to wildlife, habitat connectivity, and sensitive or protected species. * Cultural and historical resource considerations: Public participation can raise concerns about archaeological sites, traditional cultural properties, and other heritage resources and can affect avoidance, survey, and treatment measures. * Air quality and dust controls: Local concerns can shape mitigation measures for construction-related emissions, dust suppression, and operational air-quality considerations during the project build-out. * Noise and lighting: Comments can influence limits or schedules for construction noise, operational sound, and lighting to address neighborhood and wildlife impacts. * Water and wastewater management: Input can guide how water use is modeled and how groundwater/surface-water protections and any wastewater handling practices are addressed. * Transmission and interconnection effects: Stakeholder feedback can affect how the project's connection to existing infrastructure (and any related upgrades) are evaluated for land disturbance and environmental impacts. * Battery-specific safety and siting: Public input can shape how the 850 MW storage system's hazards are analyzed, including fire risk, thermal runaway concerns, emergency response planning, and siting setbacks. * Vegetation, land disturbance, and restoration: Comments can influence requirements for minimizing disturbed acreage, managing invasive species, erosion control, and long-term reclamation/restoration plans. * Traffic, access, and construction timing: Local testimony can affect expectations for haul routes, construction schedules, and safety measures for roadways used during major construction activities. * Emergency preparedness and community coordination: Feedback can drive expectations for public notification, coordination with first responders, and the content of emergency response plans. * Cumulative impacts: Input helps assess how Mosey Solar and its storage component interact with other existing and reasonably foreseeable projects in Pahrump Valley (e.g., combined habitat disruption, air-quality effects, and water use). * Mitigation measures and enforceable commitments: The comment record influences what mitigation becomes specific, measurable, and enforceable within the final decision documents. * Alternatives that reflect community priorities: Public suggestions may push agencies to consider different design approaches (such as different layouts, storage configurations, or operational strategies) that better address public concerns. * Tribal consultation and government-to-government input: Tribes can provide input that affects scoping, study approaches, and mitigation commitments, particularly where federal consultation processes apply. * Data quality and study boundaries: Comments can request additional field studies, better baseline data, or expanded geographic/scenario coverage for the EIS analyses. * Equity and local community impacts: Feedback can highlight concerns about burdens and benefits, including visual impacts, land use changes, and potential local economic or workforce effects. * Formal scoping and issue identification: The public comment period functions to flag "must-address" issues early, which can determine what topics remain central in the EIS and RMP amendment. * Final agency decision direction: The totality of public input helps shape the BLM's eventual selection among alternatives and the conditions attached to any approval.