PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine’s top election official has invalidated hundreds more signatures that were collected to force a referendum on a hydropower transmission corridor.

But Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap says there were still enough valid signatures to surpass the threshold for a statewide vote by about 3,000 signatures. A judge ordered the secretary of state to complete his review before ruling on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit aimed at stopping the referendum contends state law was violated when notaries hired by opponents of the project engaged in other campaign activities. The lawsuit also contends some signatures were forged.

The $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect would serve as a conduit for hydropower from Canada.