On January 25, 2023, the State Energy Offices of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont announced plans to apply for grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to advance the build-out of regional transmission infrastructure as part of the New England Regional Transmission Initiative. The participating states’ goals include (1) reducing the region’s reliance on imported fossil fuels in winter months, (2) helping insulate electricity customers from high prices, and (3) taking advantage of diverse energy sources. The two proposals to DOE announced this month through the partnership are the Joint State Innovation Partnership for Offshore Wind and New England Clean Power Link.
The Joint State Innovation Partnership for Offshore Wind was led by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Maine Governor’s Energy Office, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, and Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, with support from Vermont and New Hampshire. The proposal seeks funding to plan, identify, and select transmission projects that can support the growing offshore wind potential off the New England coast. The New England Clean Power Link proposal to DOE was led by the Vermont Department of Public Service and focuses on a 1,000-megawatt transmission line between Quebec and Vermont to bring hydroelectric power to the New England region. For more information on both projects, see the press release on the regional proposals here.