Initial Case Conference Scheduled for Nov 6th
Emera Maine is proposing a new transmission line running between Woodstock and Monticello to resolve the electric system reliability issue. As an alternative, Loring Holdings has proposed constructing a natural gas-fired cogeneration facility at the Loring Commerce Centre, which will solve the reliability issue and anchor the expansion of natural gas into Northern Maine.
The Initial Case Conference for this proceeding will take place at the Maine Public Utilities Commission offices in Hallowell on November 6th. The LEP developers will be attending and we encourage you to get involved as well. This decision impacts every Aroostook County business and family. We must do all that we can to bring economic development opportunities to the Loring Commerce Centre and fight to get the County back on track.
New Group to Promote Expanding Natural Gas Pipeline Capacity for New England
The newly-formed Coalition to Lower Energy Costs plans to hit the media hard to promote the expansion of natural gas pipeline capacity into New England and Maine in order to lower the cost of energy for the region.
An article published in the Recorder yesterday is available here. This impacts the Loring Energy Projects in two ways:
1) The NESCOE initiative is about both a) increased natural gas infrastructure into New England, and b) importing low-to-no carbon emission resources (hydro, wind, biomass, etc.) from Northern Maine and Canada into Connecticut and Massachusetts. This is the fundamental mission of the Maine Power Express.
2) Increased natural gas pipeline capacity will make the price for the Loring Cogen proposal even lower for the Northern Maine market by lowering transmission cost options for delivery to the facility.
Loring Holdings, LLC filed our support of increased pipeline capacity in the NESCOE process, which can be accessed here on the NESCOE website.
Emera Proposes New Transmission Line; Loring Offers an Alternative
This Notice of Proceeding was issued for MPUC Docket 2014-00048 and delivered to the landowners and abutters of a new Transmission Line proposed by Emera Maine. The purpose of the new Transmission Line is to allow increased electric transmission capacity from New Brunswick, Canada. But the developers of the Loring Energy Projects have a better idea.
We can solve the reliability problem by simply generating our own electricity, here in the County. Anchor Power, LLC has proposed an 85MW natural gas-fired cogeneration facility dubbed the "Loring Cogen" to resolve the reliability problem, provide baseload energy and capacity for Northern Maine, heat and steam for industrial applications, and anchor natural gas infrastructure for Industrial, Commercial and Residential consumers throughout Northern Maine.
We encourage you to participate in the proceeding, by clicking here, and learning about Anchor Power's "Non-Transmission Alternative" to the Emera and other Transmission proposals.
Loring Responds to Oral Data Requests
On October 10, 2014 the Developers of the Loring Energy Projects submitted responses to Oral Data Request 010-001 thru 003, accessible here.
Summit provided more detailed information to Emera Maine regarding the expansion plans for natural gas distribution off of the Loring Pipeline-2 to industrial, commercial and residential customers in Northern Maine.
The LEP develops provided Houlton Water Company and all other parties in the proceeding, in formation regarding the rights to develop the Searsport-Loring Corridor for natural gas and electric transmission.
PUC to Consider Pipeline Expansion into Maine
The Maine Public Utilties Commission will soon consider using the authority granted in the Omnibus Energy Bill to secure pipeline capacity for electric generators in New England and Maine. Follow along with the proceeding, case number 2014-00071.
Loring, CH2M Hill, Summit and LDA Promote Proposal at MPUC Technical Conference
On September 17th, 2014, the Developers of the Loring Energy Projects participated in a Technical Conference for Docket 2014-00048 and responded to questions and Oral Data Requests pertaining to its reliability proposal. In concert with Loring Holdings, were Attorneys from Rich May Law, Owner's Engineer CH2M Hill, Summit Natural Gas of Maine and the Loring Development Authority.
Transcripts are available here under Docket 2014-00048.
Loring Holdings Submits Petition to Intervene in Reliability Investigation
As directed by the MPUC, Loring Holdings, LLC has submitted its proposal for a Long-Term Contract for Capacity and Associated Energy from Docket 2012-00504 into Docket 2012-00589, the "Commission Initiated Investigation of the Reliability of Electric Service in Northern Maine."
A reliability issue has been formally recognized by NMISA and the Planning Advisory Group. The MPUC has asked Loring to submit its proposal for the Loring Cogen into this proceeding to be evaluated against other proposed solutions.
So far, the options for resolving the reliability solution fit into three categories, with various proposed solutions:
- Increased Transmission Capacity with New Brunswick
- Emera Maine has proposed a new transmission line to New Brunswick
- Connect to ISO-New England through New Transmission
- New Hampshire Transmission proposes to use the Bridal Path for a new 345kV transmission line
- EDP and CMP proposes a similar 345kV transmission line in the same Bridal Path corridor
- Maine GenLead/Northern Maine Interconnect has proposed an alternative interconnection with ISO-NE
- Increased in-region generation (Non-Transmission Alternatives)
- Loring proposes a 65MW cogeneration facility at Loring
- ReEnergy proposes reactivating the Ashland and Fort Fairfield Biomass plants
To learn more, read the Petition to Intervene and Proposal from our Downloads page.