BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 29, 2020
A group of 25 current and former Maine lawmakers wrote a letter Wednesday to Quebec’s premier and Hydro-Quebec’s CEO asking that they stop trying to influence the outcome of a referendum this November on Central Maine Power’s proposed $1 billion hydropower corridor. The letter is the most recent volley in the high stakes debate over the project that would bring Canadian hydropower to the regional grid through western Maine. So far, Clean Energy Matters, a CMP-linked group, and Hydro-Quebec have spent close to $14.7 million to promote the corridor. Gov. Janet Mills on July 10 announced a $170 million deal with Hydro-Quebec to provide discounted electricity to the state through CMP’s transmission corridor, though opponents said it would largely benefit industrial users.