Maine’s Public Utilities Commission has closed bidding on a procurement seeking at least 1,200 megawatts of renewable generation and the transmission to move it — the headline item in this month’s scan of energy news across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Developments dated June 1 – July 9, 2026. Items are drawn from a monthly research sweep; see the notes at the end on sourcing and open questions.

Maine: PUC closes bids on northern wind and transmission

The Maine PUC closed bidding on June 12 on its second solicitation in five years for large-scale renewable generation in Aroostook County plus the transmission needed to link northern Maine to the New England grid. The RFP, issued in December 2025, targets at least 1,200 MW, and the commission has signaled it may begin announcing awards later this summer.

What makes this attempt more promising than the one that fizzled in 2023 is cost-sharing: Maine is coordinating with Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont to spread the cost of the new transmission. Even in a best case, the projects would not be operational until the 2030s.

Governor Kelly Ayotte signed SB 540 in early July, letting a customer plug in one small solar unit — up to 1,200 watts — without utility approval, fees, or interconnection paperwork, provided the device is certified by an accredited testing lab. New Hampshire joins a small but growing group of states legalizing so-called balcony solar. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, with the PUC to write implementing rules.

Vermont: Governor vetoes a renewable-siting bill

Governor Phil Scott vetoed H.710 on June 17, a bill that would have made it easier to add generation to existing renewable-energy sites by treating co-located, same-technology facilities as a single “plant.” Scott cited concerns about unchecked wind expansion; the bill’s sponsors and the state’s own Department of Public Service — which supported the measure — called that rationale a “red herring,” noting the language was drafted with PUC input. Whether the Legislature reconvenes to attempt an override is unresolved.

Worth watching next month

  • Maine — award announcements on the 1,200 MW procurement.
  • Vermont — any move to override the H.710 veto.
  • New Hampshire — PUC rulemaking ahead of SB 540’s January 2027 effective date.

Notes on sourcing: The June 12 Maine bid-close date is single-sourced (Maine Monitor) and worth confirming against the PUC docket; the Boston Globe article is paywalled. The New Hampshire signing and Vermont veto are corroborated by multiple outlets. This post summarizes a research sweep and is not itself an original report.