PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 7, 2026
New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) is now delivering clean Canadian hydropower to New England, displacing fossil fuel generation. Its completion should be a point of pride. Instead, years of lawsuits and political battles added more than $500 million to its cost — a burden that ultimately falls on ratepayers. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act would help prevent such delays without weakening environmental protections. ~ Don Parent, Cumberland