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Maine regulators to contract for solar power

Solar panels are pictured on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at the Keene wastewater treatment facility in Swanzey, N.H.
Raquel C. Zaldívar
/
New England News Collaborative
Solar panels are pictured on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at the Keene wastewater treatment facility in Swanzey, N.H.

Maine regulators have agreed to contract with new solar farms to deliver 51 megawatts of electricity to customers in the state.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission said the new generation could power about 13,000 homes.

Maine partnered with Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to procure about 171 megawatts of additional clean energy across the region.

"By coordinating across New England, we are able to attract high-quality projects, take advantage of time-limited federal clean energy tax incentives, and improve reliability for Maine and the region as a whole," said PUC Chair Phil Bartlett in a press release.

States expedited the procurement in an effort to contract for projects that can still get federal tax breaks on clean energy developments scheduled to expire in 2027.

The commission selected five developers to construct solar arrays in Maine. Electric customers will pay for the new power through their utility bills. Projects are expected to come online by the end of 2030 according to the commission.