Tomorrow: Help Shape Wiscasset’s Energy Future

Wiscasset Needs Your Voice Tomorrow

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Tuesday, August 25 | 3:00–5:00 PM Scout Hall | 7 Lincoln Street, Wiscasset

Tomorrow afternoon, Wiscasset will hold an important public workshop to help determine the priorities in the Town’s developing Strategic Energy Plan.

If you care about Wiscasset’s economic future, renewable energy, lower energy costs, or making better use of the Town’s existing assets, this is an important opportunity to participate.

The workshop is part of Wiscasset’s ongoing participation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP). Over the past several months, the Town, community participants, regional partners, and National Laboratory researchers have been working to better understand Wiscasset’s energy needs and opportunities.

Tomorrow, that work moves into an important new stage.

Four Possible Priorities for Wiscasset

The draft Strategic Energy Plan has identified four major focus areas:

1. Capitalize on underutilized energy assets — Explore ways to increase Town revenue through energy development and better utilize Wiscasset’s legacy energy infrastructure.

2. Reduce municipal energy costs — Improve energy efficiency and reduce the cost of operating Town facilities.

3. Improve communication with CMP — Strengthen communication around reliability, resilience, service and future grid improvements.

4. Help residents and businesses reduce energy costs — Improve awareness of programs, technologies and opportunities that can lower household and business energy expenses.

All four goals offer potential benefits to Wiscasset.

We believe Goal 1 presents an opportunity that is particularly important to explore.

Why Goal 1 Matters

Wiscasset has something many Maine communities do not: a legacy as a major energy-producing community, existing electrical infrastructure, and underutilized properties that could potentially support new energy development.

The question before us is not whether Wiscasset should immediately approve a particular project or technology.

The question is whether these assets offer enough potential value that we should seriously investigate the opportunity.

The draft plan identifies possibilities including geothermal, solar, wind, energy storage and other technologies; evaluating available electrical capacity; attracting energy-intensive businesses; marketing Wiscasset’s energy assets; and potentially leasing Town-owned land to energy developers.

There is an especially compelling reason to investigate these possibilities now.

An Opportunity for Up to $50,000 and National Laboratory Expertise

The next stage of ETIPP includes a Technical Deep Dive for communities ready to investigate specific energy projects in greater detail.

Communities selected for a Deep Dive may receive up to $50,000 in direct funding along with 12–24 months of technical assistance from National Laboratory researchers and regional partners.

That expertise can help answer the questions Wiscasset needs answered before making major decisions: What is technically feasible? What could our infrastructure support? What are the economics? What opportunities deserve further consideration—and which do not?

RePower Wiscasset believes pursuing this level of rigorous analysis could be an extraordinary opportunity for the community.

But community priorities matter in determining what happens next.

Please Join Us Tomorrow

Strategic Energy Plan Workshop #2 Tuesday, August 25, 2026 3:00–5:00 PM Scout Hall 7 Lincoln Street, Wiscasset

During the workshop, participants will hear initial results from the National Laboratory technical team, review proposed goals and potential projects, and participate in facilitated small-group discussions about Wiscasset’s energy priorities.

Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is appreciated but not required.

Register