Maine finds few obstacles to leave grid

Maine finds few obstacles to leave grid

	Published : Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:37 By : Agencies Print this Story

PORTLAND, Maine (AFX) - A preliminary report by the Maine Public Utilities Commission says Maine ratepayers don't get enough in return for participating in the regional power grid and concludes there are 'no insurmountable legal, economic or technical barriers' to leaving it.

The 39-page report delivered to the Maine Legislature this week says are asonable alternatives' to participation in the grid include creating an independent transmission company and establishing power-swapping arrangements with neighboring Canadian provinces.

The cost to Maine ratepayers for staying in the grid managed by ISO New England will be as much as $616 million over the next five years, said PUC Chairman Kurt Adams.

'Our findings outline the current inequities that exist for Maine within the ISO-NE system as compared to the other New England states,' Adams said.

Sen. Philip Bartlett, co-chairman of the Legislature's Utilities and Energy Committee, said the study suggests the state may be better off finding an alternative 'instead of standing back and paying for mistakes that we feel were made in southern New England.'

'It sends a strong message that we are serious about needing to protect Maine consumers, and there are options available to us,' Bartlett, a Democrat from Gorham, said Friday.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission voted to explore alternatives last summer after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved an auction system intended to increase the region's power supply by encouraging construction of new generating plants.

Maine officials protested that the decision aimed at reducing energy bottlenecks in southwestern Connecticut and northeastern Massachusetts will result in higher energy prices for Mainers at a time when the state has a surplus of power.

In addition to pursuing the option of leaving the regional power grid, the state also is fighting FERC's decision in court.

There are several factors driving the talk of a power-swapping arrangement between Maine and the Maritime Provinces.

Both Maine and New Brunswick are net exporters of energy. Maine's demand peaks in the summer; New Brunswick's peaks in the winter. There's already a transmission line connecting Maine and New Brunswick.

One obstacle is that the state has no authority to force privately owned utilities Central Maine Power Co. and Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. to pull out of the grid, the report said. Bangor Hydro is owned by Emera, which is based in Nova Scotia. CMP is part of Energy East Corp., which has operations in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.

On the flip side, ISO New England has no authority to force CMP and Bangor Hydro to remain part of the regional power grid, the report said.

A final report by the Maine Public Utilities Commission is due next year.

In the meantime, the PUC will continue to negotiate with the Maritime Provinces, look into creating an independent transmission company and ask the New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners to review inequities in the current system.

'The commission intends to continue this inquiry and aggressively pursue alternatives to the ISO-NE status quo,' the report said.