After more than two years of legal delays and permit suspensions, state regulators on Thursday gave final approval for construction to resume on the controversial New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued a long-awaited order allowing Avangrid, the company behind the project, to proceed—marking a significant turn in the battle over the large-scale energy corridor.
The 145-mile transmission line, designed to deliver hydroelectric power from Quebec to the New England power grid at Lewiston, was initially halted after Maine voters passed a 2021 referendum aimed at blocking the project. The state Supreme Court invalidated that referendum last August, ruling it unconstitutional because it retroactively changed the terms of permits already granted.
That decision cleared a path for construction to resume, but the project still required environmental approval from the Department of Environmental Protection. In its new ruling, the DEP stated that the original permit remains valid and that Avangrid has complied with conditions related to soil erosion control, wildlife protection, and corridor restoration. The order permits work to continue under modified restoration plans submitted by the company.
Avangrid President and CEO Pedro Azagra welcomed the ruling, calling it a “major step forward” for what he describes as critical clean energy infrastructure. He said construction will resume immediately, with the goal of completing the transmission line by the end of 2025. According to the company, approximately 124 miles of corridor were already cleared and 78 miles of the line were installed prior to the 2021 stop-work order.
Supporters of the NECEC project, including Massachusetts regulators and climate advocates, have argued that the line is essential for reducing carbon emissions in the region by displacing fossil fuel-based electricity with clean hydropower. Massachusetts ratepayers are funding the $1 billion project through a power-purchase agreement with Hydro-Québec as part of the state’s broader clean energy goals.
Opposition to the project has remained strong among environmental groups, local residents, and some state lawmakers. Critics argue that the corridor cuts through undeveloped forestland and could harm sensitive ecosystems in western Maine. They have also questioned the long-term climate benefits of the project and the transparency of corporate and governmental decision-making.
Sandi Howard, director of the group No CMP Corridor, expressed disappointment with the ruling, saying it fails to reflect the will of the voters who opposed the project. She said the organization is reviewing its legal options and will continue to challenge the transmission line through public engagement and, potentially, new lawsuits.
The corridor runs from the Canadian border in Beattie Township through remote parts of western Maine before connecting with existing power lines in Lewiston. It passes over both public and private land, some of which is managed for timber. Avangrid has committed to conservation offsets and replanting efforts as part of its environmental mitigation strategy.
The project’s resumption also raises questions about how emerging court decisions and state-level permitting processes intersect with citizen ballot initiatives. The 2021 referendum passed by a wide margin, fueled by grassroots organizing and skepticism toward foreign-owned utilities like Avangrid and its parent company, Iberdrola of Spain.
Now, with legal barriers cleared and construction crews set to return to the corridor, state officials say they will continue monitoring compliance with environmental standards. The Maine DEP said it will require ongoing reporting and reserves the right to halt operations again if the project violates permit terms.
As the NECEC line moves toward completion, the broader policy debate over New England’s renewable energy future remains unsettled. While the transmission corridor may eventually increase access to clean energy, it also highlights the tensions between environmental stewardship, regional climate goals, and the rights of voters to shape large infrastructure decisions in their state.
