Maine Rejects Big Plan for Distributed Energy. What's Next?

By Elisa Wood, Energy Changemakers

Maine will not move forward with creating a pioneering distributed system operator (DSO), but state officials appear open to exploring other ways to advance distributed energy resources (DERs).

Used in several other countries, the DSO model reframes how the electric grid operates, creating more opportunities for local energy through open and transparent markets. Maine would have been the first state in the nation to institute a DSO, an approach it explored to reduce energy costs, achieve climate goals, and improve electric reliability. 

The Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) recently halted the plan after reviewing a draft feasibility report from Strategen commissioned earlier this year. While the report recommended that the state move forward with the DSO, the energy office balked at the investment and effort required to undertake the reforms.

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At the same time, the energy office said there may be alternative means to achieve the same outcome and that it “intends to consider the information and findings contained in the initial study to inform future prioritized areas of analysis to support achievement of the broader objectives of the state related to grid planning, infrastructure, and management.”

Still, some distributed energy advocates found the decision disappointing.

“Our energy future needs to be a symphony, not a cacophony — or worse, a solo act by a single utility. A neutral, expert, not-for-profit DSO could be the conductor to make it happen. A well-built DSO could improve trust, planning, coordination, innovation and competition. Utilities, customers and others could all benefit,” said Seth Berry, executive director of Our Power, a Maine-based nonprofit advocating for energy democracy, and a former state lawmaker who served as House Chair of Maine Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.

Read the full article on Energy Changemakers.