Like many of us in Maine, I have been skeptical about Central Maine Power’s Clean Energy Connect project. Why scar our pristine landscape to bring hydroelectricity to Boston – clean energy that might otherwise just be sold to Ontario or New York? But I have changed my mind, and here is why:
New England is an energy “island” – particular during the winter. Our electricity prices are still driven by natural gas prices because natural gas is the marginal source of power. But there isn’t enough gas infrastructure to meet our demand for home heating and electricity during peak winter days. That is why the wholesale price of gas this January is over $20 per MMBtu in Maine while in New Jersey it is under $10.
The most effective way to bridge this gap is new transmission infrastructure. No one wants more pipelines so the best answer is electric transmission. It doesn’t really matter if the power is for Massachusetts customers – what matters is expanding capacity into the region. And if you don’t believe me, why is it that the power generators that benefit from high energy prices are spending millions trying to defeat this transmission line?
The biggest challenge with renewable power is the reality that the wind and sun are variable – particularly during New England winters. The transition to green energy will fail if it is not both reliable and affordable. That means investing in additional transmission at the same time we invest in new clean energy sources. The CMP line does exactly that.
Thomas Robinson
Portland
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