Former Governor John Baldacci turns the switch on a solar array at the State House in Augusta, Maine to launch his rebate program for solar energy back in 2005. Photo by Ramona du Houx.

by Ramona du Houx

The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced on February 28, 2020 that they have initiated a procurement process for solar and other distributed generation projects in accordance with a State law enacted during the Maine Legislature’s 2019 session.

Basically, the PUC is seeking new proposals for renewable distributed generation resources.

The criteria:

The Commission is seeking proposals from solar and other renewable energy developers for qualifying small scale (less than 5 MW) generation resources.

Bidder(s) selected will enter into 20-year contract(s) with either Central Maine Power Company or Emera Maine, depending on the location of the project.

Projects may be in one of two categories, commercial/institutional projects or shared projects.
The target amounts for each category for this Block 1 procurement are 25 MW and 50 MW, respectively.

“We understand the importance of this program as part of the State’s policy to encourage development of renewable resources and to move Maine toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future,” said Commission Chairman Philip L. Bartlett. “There is significant interest from the industry in this procurement process and we look forward to receiving many competitive bids.”

The process was initiated today by the release of a “Procurement Announcement For Distributed Generation Resources Procurement—Block 1.” The Procurement Announcement and related materials are available at: https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/electricity/rfps/dg-procurement/

During its 2019 session, the Maine Legislature enacted An Act to Promote Solar Energy Projects and Distributed Generation Resources in Maine (Public Law, Chapter 478, LD 1711). The Act, among other things, directs the Commission to conduct a series of competitive solicitations to procure a total of 375 MW of small scale (less than 5 MW) solar and other renewable energy distributed generation resources.

About the Commission

The Maine Public Utilities Commission regulates electric, telephone, water and gas utilities to ensure that Maine citizens have access to safe and reliable utility service at rates that are just and reasonable for all ratepayers.