N.E. Clean Power Connect in Maine - Should we care ?

[peakbagger]

The pro power line group funded by the utility trying to build the line, CMP and Hydro Quebec just rolled out the big advertising bucks this week against the opposition. Looks like it will get nasty

https://shameonnrcm.com/

This ad is banner ad on the Bangor Daily News. BDN is the voice of the conservative part of Maine that tends to vote very conservative (they were a big factor in the LePage election). The trade off is most of the population in Maine is in three far more liberal counties along the maine coast. If the voters decide to care about what is going on north of them they will probably vote to stop the project.

Natural Resource Council of Maine (NRCM) is one of the many groups opposing the project. The utility and hydro Quebec stand to make 100s of millions on the project so they will always have deeper pockets than the opposition.

Note that if the Clean Energy Matters is clicked on it just redirects to the ad. CMP is currently universally hated in Maine so they conveniently don't happen to mention that.

[peakbagger]

The opposition to the power line turned in a claimed 75,000 signatures to get the project stopped. This should be enough to get it on the ballot as long as too many signatures are not disallowed by the state. The governor has vetoed legislative attempts at stopping the project twice. Given the number of voters in Maine versus the expected profits I expect the pro group should just propose to pay each voter to approve the project

I expect the owners of the already permitted project in through Vermont are getting ready to blow the dust off the binders.

[CaptCaper]

It's a different world now. You would think they learned something in NH. If anything they should of come at them stating line buriel all the way.

[peakbagger]

At one point the CPP project was all above ground but I think they reluctantly priced up the option to go underground under the Kennebec River Gorge with the option they would try to buy off this need by paying off stake holders. CPC had stated that the economics of total burial means the project doesn't happen due to cost (same claim by Northern Pass in NH). The permitted VT project that is on hold waiting for a buyer was proposed to be buried or under the lake. Its estimated cost was in the range that NP and CPP claimed a buried project would cost. It comes down to HQ has the power resource that is wanted by Southern New England. They have been just shopping around with what party is willing to transmit the power through Me, NH or VT for the least cost to them(HQ). NP bet $300 million they could do if for less (and failed) CPP has spent a bunch in Maine and is now at risk due to the most likely peoples veto so some other firm may need to step up. In addition to the VT project, the current operator of the DC line that runs along the VT and NH line had stepped up at one point and offered to put in a parallel DC line next to the existing one but they stepped back when the Maine project got active. Given the successful fight against NP in NH I don't see any party planning a NH project anytime soon.

[peakbagger]

CMP is going on with construction despite the citizens veto drive.

https://www.newscentermaine.com/arti...5-aa01371e1314

[peakbagger]

The pro powerline group is challenging the petition drive signatures. The petition drive group had submitted well over the required number, the state has disallowed some but there are still well over the minimum required. The pro powerline group is arguing that there were irregularities in the petition process. My guess is if they can figure a way for it not to end up on the ballot this fall they will do it. Voter turnout is much higher on a presidential election year and if the petition gets pushed back to the next election, the powerline most likely will already be partially built.

[peakbagger]

Looks like the referendum is a go.

https://wgme.com/news/local/enough-v...-officials-say

[peakbagger]

Court throws out lawsuit challenging the referendum, of course the project plans to appeal.

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/04/...-line-project/

Despite the Corona Virus, the developer presses with the project. No doubt at some point this will be pushed as "shovel ready" project to jump start the Western Maine economy. Of course the skilled labor will be primarily out of state contractors but those are just details.

[peakbagger]

The appeal about letting the referendum happen failed so the referendum is still on. https://bangordailynews.com/2020/05/...vember-ballot/

Clean Power Connect has been willing to spend significant dollars to keep this project alive. It will be interesting to see what the next move is.

[B the Hiker]

https://www.middletownpress.com/news...y-15261869.php

Maine environmental regulators approve new energy corridor

David Sharp, Associated Press Updated 1:40 pm EDT, Monday, May 11, 2020

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine environmental regulators on Monday approved a $1 billion utility transmission project that would serve as a conduit for up to 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydropower to flow into the New England power grid.

# # #

You can read the rest of the article at the link above.

Brian

[peakbagger]

CPC has now sued the state declaring the referendum project https://www.thehour.com/news/article...f-15267690.php. They have lost several cases with respect to the state approving the referendum, now they are questioning the legality of the process. CPC is still awaiting an Army Corp of Engineers permit so any work done would be at risk until that permit is approved. The Army corp permit could be politically influenced at the federal level so it may not be major delay given current environmental roadblocks.

The owner of CMP Avangrid has been going on PR campaign after their bungled roll out of a new billing system a year and half ago. They dragged a former CEO out of retirement to put a friendlier face on the company. https://www.newscentermaine.com/arti...9-f58fdf2f245d I do not know how much friendlier it will be as under his watch they went from a consumer oriented utility to a company that quickly was chopped into pieces and sold to the highest bidder. They sold there valuable hydro electric system for a bundle to FPL and the remainder is now a pawn for multinational firms due to the potential from the maine power corridor from Quebec and New Brunswick along with a big Wind power corridor.

CMP has made moves to start construction this summer. Lacking the Army corp permit, they will have some delay but one possible next step is for them to start the construction once the Army corp permit is issued is start construction and then sue the State of Maine for costs (mostly likely inflated) incurred prior to the referendum and loss of future profit.

[peakbagger]

And now a new lawsuit against the projects permit. https://www.nrcm.org/news/nrcm-appea...-cmp-corridor/

Contrary to the projects PR that they would start construction this season, the Army Corp permits are not expected to be approved until late this year which put them near the referendum date. if the NRCM lawsuit delays the Army Corp permit then this pushed the project out to 2021

[peakbagger]

Another week another lawsuit to block the referendum is rejected by the Maine supreme court. https://www.newscentermaine.com/arti...4-af364e43ade8

No doubt it is not the end of it.

[peakbagger]

One of the other big points of contention has flared up

https://bangordailynews.com/2020/06/...stions-remain/

This is only the most recent case of a Maine administration sued for violating the public trust on public lands. Percival Baxter went to great lengths to protect BSP from the future admnstrations modifying his wishes on how the park was operated after he passed. Most recently the LePage administration directed the Bureau of Public Lands to up the timber harvest levels on public lands and divert the cash to non authorized uses.

Central Maine Power is still quite politically powerful in Maine. The current governor is from Western Maine and the power line project provides a big short term economic shot during her administration. Nevertheless its been surprising that she is following the Le Page administrations lead of fast tracking this project.

[peakbagger]

I was a tad conservative on my estimate, the utility appealed to the state Supreme Court to cancel the referendum

https://bangordailynews.com/2020/07/...n-from-ballot/