PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 26, 2021
Action late Tuesday by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to suspend the New England Clean Energy Connect’s construction license places the project’s future in court, with a critical hurdle pending for Dec. 15. That’s when NECEC Transmission LLC and Avangrid Networks, of which Central Maine Power is a part, will ask a judge to keep a law passed by voters this month from taking effect on Dec. 19. Avangrid will argue that the initiative deprives the company of its “vested rights,” which means it had valid permits to start construction in good faith. NECEC already has cleared more than 124 miles of right-of-way, erected more than 120 structures and spent more than $450 million. Opponents will counter that Avangrid knew the validity of its DEP license was in dispute because of an ongoing review of a lease across public lands, as well as longstanding appeals at the BEP. The company was also well aware of the Nov. 2 referendum. The NECEC saga is being followed nationally by energy interests and institutional investors.