Bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) - flexible interconnections and resilience for maine (project firm) this project will create a more modern and dynamic grid that will drive robust distributed…

Bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) - flexible interconnections and resilience for maine (project firm) this project will create a more modern and dynamic grid that will drive robust distributed energy resource (DER) and renewable energy deployment in maine while ensuring resilience and affordability for ratepayers. The project will accomplish this by implementing leading-edge software and hardware technologies to enable active network management (ANM) and facilitate flexible interconnections; installing static synchronous compensators (statcoms) to dynamically control voltage on circuits with high penetrations of renewable energy; and deploying dynamic line rating (DLR) technology to increase transmission line capacity on circuits experiencing renewable energy constraints. The expected outcomes of this project include reduction in DER project costs associated with grid upgrades; use of DER curtailments instead of disconnections to achieve grid reliability; reduction in time for DER projects to clear the interconnection queue; increase in DER and renewable energy capacity connection; increase in transmission capacity available to support renewable energy projects; lessons learned for scaling ANM and DLR across maine, new england, and the united states; demonstration of safe and reliable grid operations with high levels of DER penetration and streamlined interconnections; interconnection business process innovation; skilled workforce development to meet grid modernization needs; reduction in voltage anomalies occurring on circuits with statcoms deployed; and by investing in advanced technologies and workforce development, transformation of maine's clean energy market - driving private sector investment, ensuring affordable electricity prices, increasing grid operators' ability to coordinate the dynamic grid for reliability and resilience, and advancing state and federal climate goals.