Power Delivery
New England States Seek First in US Joint Transmission Project Push
Six New England states have collectively and proactively launched a longer range push for new power transmission projects to relieve capacity gaps in the region—asking grid operator ISO New England to seek bids to expand two grid interfaces in southern Maine and to develop new infrastructure in Pittsfield, Maine to connect up to 1,200 MW of onshore wind production.
Imsge: ISO New England
Six New England states have become the first in the U.S. to collectively and proactively launch a longer range push for new power transmission projects to relieve critical capacity gaps in the region—asking grid operator ISO New England to seek bids to expand two grid interfaces in southern Maine and to develop new infrastructure, such as a substation, in Pittsfield, Maine to connect up to 1,200 MW of onshore wind production. .
The New England States Committee on Electricity sent the request earlier this month to the operator, aiming to have the projects built by 2035 but providing minimum scope to developers, which would by chosen by the committee and ISO New England and could include additional upgrades.
States in the pact are Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont.
“This is a big deal in the regional energy space,” says Jason Marshall, deputy energy secretary for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. “It really is a first in the nation proactive transmission planning procurement led by a group of states.” Developers’ comments filed with the committee were “overwhelmingly positive” about taking this proactive approach, he adds.
The committee request follows approval this year by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of two major national rules allowing more proactive transmission planning in all U.S. regions and agency approval of New England's long term plan.
That plan "is a monumental step forward, demonstrating the region’s commitment to building a future-ready grid," said the Natural Resources Defense Council in a September analysis. "If all goes to plan, it will soon result in the construction of new, urgently needed transmission lines."
To accommodate interconnection of wind and other other clean energy resources, Marshall says developers would be responsible for offering proposals, for which ISO-New England would evaluate the benefits. He expects the grid operator to issue a first request for proposals in the first half of 2025. with project selection in 2026.
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Projects would be paid for through a wholesale electric market tariff that is passed to ratepayers. But projects would likely result in a net decrease in their costs over time by avoiding need for other transmission and improving access to more clean power, Marshall says, with cost estimates to be identified as scopes are made final.
“The genesis of the committee’s request to ISO-NE goes back almost five years to a 2020 vision statement [it] issued on behalf of all New England states,” Marshall adds. "That statement included a call ... to develop a state led process for the grid operator to be able to explore transmission needs proactively and look decades into the future.“
