August 20, 2026

By Ramona Cornell du Houx

LINCOLN — Officials announced plans build a new battery storage facility at the old mill site in Lincoln, Maine on August 18, 2026.

“This is a great opportunity for the reagion to be revitalized,” said Eastern Maine Development Corporation President and CEO Lee Umphrey. There needs to be a lot of thought put behind the region and regeneration of resources. Just having this battery project here is a very innovative approach. I think it is going to lead to more jobs and cheaper costs for people, which is key.”

The former Lincoln Paper & Tissue Mill will be transformed by this project that is designed to store enough energy to power about 65,000 homes. Form Energy plans for the redevelopment of 50 acres at the mill site to house 85 megawatts of battery power.

To jump start the initiative the project received nearly $150 million in federal funds from the $75 Billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 during the Biden administration. The project will get underway in 2028.

Once complete, it will be a showcase for the world to see what’s possible with a new energy technology.

“We think it’s going to show the way to do this for a lot of the country and ultimately the world,” Mateo Jaramillo, co-founder and CEO of Form Energy said.

The new battery is an unique innovation in technology that is projected to revolutionize the industry. “It’s actually a battery that rusts and then un-rusts to charge back up.”

The batteries, built in West Virginia, will be shipped to Maine and will store power for four days. 

The idea is to build a more reliable electric grid that can add power when needed and lower costs for states across New England.

The project is just one several new businesses in the works for the former mill

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