PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Central Maine Power has formed a political action committee to make the case for a transmission line to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid.
CMP’s corporate parent has committed $500,000 to the effort ahead of an anticipated statewide vote next year on the $1 billion project.
Critics are collecting signatures to put the proposal on the ballot.
The project would bring up to 1,200 megawatts of hydropower to the New England grid to meet Massachusetts’ clean-energy goals. Massachusetts ratepayers would pick up the tab.
Supporters say it’s an economic and environmental win for Maine. Critics say CMP underestimated the environmental harm and failed to take into account the impact on homegrown solar, wind and biomass projects.
