What Mainers' decisive 'yes' vote on Question 1 means for the CMP corridor's future

MAINE PUBLIC • November 3, 2021

State voters decisively supported an effort to kill Central Maine Power's transmission corridor through western Maine. The power line would serve a contract with Massachusetts electric consumers, but in a vote of 59% to 41% Mainers are saying no, approving a ballot item that aims to undo the project and strengthen the legislature's control over energy transmission initiatives that aren't needed for grid reliability. CMP has invested hundreds of millions of dollars already in this project. Does this mean it's dead? No, the vote does not kill the project outright, much as its many detractors — and we know that there are very many of them now — much as they would want it. But the vote does imperil the project.