STATE OF MAINE
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Docket No. 2017-00232
October 3, 2017

CENTRAL MAINE POWER COMPANY
Request for Approval of CPCN for the
New England Clean Energy Connect
Consisting of the Construction of a 1,200
MW HVDC Transmission Line from the
Québec-Maine Border to Lewiston
(NECEC) and Related Network Upgrades

I.

NOTICE OF PROCEEDING
AND OPPORTUNITY TO
INTERVENE

DESCRIPTION OF PROCEEDING

On September 27, 2017, Central Maine Power Company (CMP) filed a Request
for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the New England Clean
Energy Connect consisting of the construction of a 1,200 MW HVDC transmission line
from the Québec-Maine border to Lewiston (NECEC) and related network upgrades
(CPCN Petition). The CPCN Petition was filed pursuant to 35-A M.R.S. § 3132 and
Chapter 330 of the Commission’s Rules.
According to the CPCN Petition, the NECEC is part of two joint bids submitted by
CMP, Hydro Renewable Energy, Inc., and SBx in response to the Massachusetts
Request for Proposals for Long-Term Contracts for Clean Energy Projects dated March
31, 2017. CMP asserts that the NECEC will be developed, constructed, and operated
by CMP in Maine at no cost to Maine electricity customers. The NECEC consists of a
new 145.3 mile overhead direct current transmission line and includes two new
converter stations and certain upgrades to the existing alternating current New England
transmission system that are necessary to permit the interconnection of the NECEC and
associated clean energy generation to the New England Control Area at the existing
Larrabee Road Substation in Lewiston, Maine.
In its CPCN Petition, CMP asserts that the NECEC and the clean energy
generation delivered by it will:
o Provide annual electricity locational marginal price savings for Maine electricity
customers of $40-45 million and annual capacity market savings for Maine
electricity customers of approximately $50 million for the first eight years of the
40-year project;
o Reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions annually by at least 3 million
metric tons; and
o Provide significant protection against future increases in natural gas prices,
including especially during winter periods when natural gas supplies may

 Notice of Proceeding

2

Docket No. 2017-00232

become constrained.
CMP further asserts that the NECEC will support over 5,200 good paying direct jobs in
Maine and over 4,900 additional indirect and induced Maine jobs during the project
development and construction phases (2017-2022).
II.

INTERVENTION

Interested persons wishing to intervene in this matter should file petitions to
intervene in accordance with Section 8 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure on or before October 13, 2017. Objections to petitions to intervene must
be in writing and filed on or before noon, October 18, 2017. Petitions to intervene, and
any corresponding objections, will be addressed at the initial case conference discussed
below.
Anyone interested in intervening in this case must sign up as a “registered
user” in the Commission’s Case Management System (CMS). 1 When registering,
persons should remember to indicate the entity or entities that you represent and
may be making filings on behalf of. Such persons should also place themselves on
the notification list for the above referenced docket. Registered persons whose
petitions to intervene are granted will be placed on the active party list and will
receive notice of filings through the Commission’s CMS.
III.

INITIAL CASE CONFERENCE

An initial case conference in this matter will be held on October 19, 2017, at
10:00 a.m. in the Commission’s Worster Room located at 101 Second Street, Hallowell,
Maine. The purposes of the case conference are to (1) consider petitions to intervene
and any objections to such petitions, (2) discuss next steps and a procedural schedule,
and (3) consider other issues in this case.
Parties wishing to participate in the October 19th conference telephonically may
do so via the Commission’s Telebridge by dialing 1-877-455-0244 and then entering
2072871573#.
IV.

SERVICE OF NOTICE
A copy of this Notice shall be sent to the notification list in Docket No. 2008-

1

To register, go to the Commission’s website at www.maine.gov/mpuc and click
on “Online Filing, Docketed Case, Forms, and RFP’s” on the left-hand side of the home
page. Then click on the large “Registered Users” link in the large gray box. Then click
on the “New User Registration” link at the bottom of the “Account Login” area. Further
detailed instructions are available on the Commission’s website at
www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=pucpressreleases&
id=414946&v=article08.

 Notice of Proceeding

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Docket No. 2017-00232

00255, Petition for Finding of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Maine
Power Reliability Program Consisting of the Construction of Approximately 350
Miles of 345 KV and 115 KV Transmission Lines (MPRP) Pertaining to Central
Maine Power Company; the 24 Maine municipalities that may require permits or
approvals of the NECEC Transmission Project; and the Commission’s RPS,
transmission and distribution utilities, and electric utilities mailing lists.
Dated at Hallowell, Maine, this 3rd day of October, 2017.

BY ORDER OF THE HEARING EXAMINER

_____/s/ Chris Simpson_____
Chris Simpson