Offshore Wind - On-Shore Connection

Maine has been exploring development of an Offshore Wind Research Array in the Gulf of Maine to study and test floating wind turbine technology. The project would bring power ashore through a transmission cable to a grid interconnection point on the Maine coast.

RePower Wiscasset supports the idea of using the CMP substation on the former Maine Yankee campus as that connection point. Our existing infrastructure, industrial zoning, and deepwater access make Wiscasset an excellent candidate. Hosting the on-shore connection could bring investment, create skilled jobs, and re-establish Wiscasset’s role as a center of energy innovation.

If a project like this were to move forward, the town could expect to negotiate community benefits such as tax revenue or payments in lieu of taxes, local hiring and workforce training commitments, and infrastructure or environmental improvements that align with community goals. These agreements help ensure that residents share directly in the benefits of hosting clean-energy infrastructure.

We’ve begun community outreach to help residents understand how this type of project could fit within Wiscasset’s broader redevelopment plans.

Current status:  Federal regulators eliminated the previously designated wind-energy area in the Gulf of Maine in 2025, which paused near-term offshore wind development. We’re continuing to monitor these policy changes closely and will revisit this opportunity as the regulatory picture becomes clearer.