Heading into 2026, New England is counting on an increasingly collaborative approach to energy policy as federal opposition to renewable energy development threatens affordability, reliability, and decarbonization objectives in the region.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission, in collaboration with the regulators of four other New England states, issued a request for proposals to procure clean energy in northern Maine and 1,200 MW of transmission to connect it to the ISO-NE grid.

The Maine PUC is seeking feedback and indications of interest for a procurement of generation and transmission capacity to connect at least 1,200 MW of clean energy in Northern Maine to ISO-NE.

ISO-NE published the request for proposals for its first longer-term transmission planning procurement, which is focused on increasing North-to-South transmission capacity in New England and interconnecting onshore wind resources in Northern Maine.

Backed by a new process conducted by the New England states, ISO-NE is moving forward with a request for proposals to build new transmission that would bring wind to market from Northern Maine.