In a groundbreaking move to enhance grid reliability, Maine has partnered with nine other Northeast states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, to improve regional electricity transmission planning. This union, enacted through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), aims to establish a more reliable, efficient grid and accelerate the clean energy transition.
The collaborative effort, dubbed the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission, is the first of its kind. It presents a strategic action plan to foster the development of interregional transmission projects. The ultimate goal is to stabilize energy costs, increase access to affordable clean energy, and improve power grid reliability, particularly during high energy demand periods and extreme weather conditions.
The Maine Governor’s Energy Office Director, Dan Burgess, emphasized the importance of regional coordination and transmission planning to grow the economy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Maine’s participation in the Collaborative will advance regional transmission planning and ensure the reliable delivery of affordable, clean power to the state’s people and businesses.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy received a request from a group of Northeast states to support a multi-state initiative to explore potential opportunities to increase electricity flow between three regional planning regions. This initiative also seeks to assess offshore wind infrastructure needs and solutions.
The Collaborative aims to work together on interregional transmission infrastructure and has established information-sharing mechanisms. Furthermore, the Collaborative announced plans to develop a strategic action plan to promote the growth of interregional transmission projects for harnessing offshore wind energy off the Northeast coast.
This proposed action plan will identify barriers to such projects and outline actionable strategies to overcome these challenges. The states will also cooperate on establishing technical standards for offshore wind transmission equipment to ensure future flexibility and interconnectivity as the industry evolves.
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York officials expressed their excitement and optimism about the collaborative effort. They believed in the important role of regional and interregional collaboration in confronting climate change, advancing cost-effective transmission projects, and building a more resilient and reliable transmission network.
"We’re excited to enhance our regional relationships around transmission capacity throughout the Northeast,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. "This cooperative effort around transmission solutions will allow Maryland to progress towards its ambitious carbon pollution reduction and offshore wind energy goals in a more efficient and cost-effective manner."
