OPA and EMT tell PUC, “CMP has failed to document the proposed capacity upgrade…” for Nordic Aquafarms, Inc.

A Feb. 18th brief from the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) and Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) recommends that Maine’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) deny the request from Central Maine Power (CMP) that the power company be allowed to beef up the section of its grid that would feed the fish-raising factory proposed by Nordic Aquafarms, Inc.

“In its filing and subsequent updates, CMP has failed to document the proposed capacity upgrade is necessary to meet the needs of the Midcoast region. With the litigation delay to the construction of the Nordic Aquafarm (NAF) facility, better data will be available to assure there is actual need for the Section 80 Rebuild before new load materializes,” the authors of the brief state in their summary.

They point out that CMP’s case for the proposed power upgrade lacked critical data, saying: “CMP failed to incorporate the beneficial impacts of existing and known Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) projects in its analysis of the Midcoast region. Further, CMP has not documented assumed power factor violations, has not documented asserted asset condition issues, and has not quantified and documented asserted beneficial electrification needs. Without accurate information to support these critical assumptions, CMP’s “analysis” of need relies too heavily on speculation and not enough on fully documented data and analysis…”

The OPA’s primary responsibility is to represent the interests of Maine utility customers. OPA does most of its work in proceedings before the PUC. The PUC is not required to agree with OPA opinions but to ignore the Feb. 18th briefing could mean CMP customers would have to pay for a multi-million-dollar upgrade to the grid that won’t be needed if Nordic’s plans for a fish-raising factory in Belfast fall through.

EMT (“the Trust”) administers programs to improve energy use efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases in Maine. The Trust is a quasi-state agency governed by a Board of Trustees with oversight from the PUC.