Report: Smart grid upgrades offer less risk, more flexibility than power lines

Energy News Network: A decade ago, Maine regulators faced dueling proposals to meet projected load growth north of Portland: upgrade a long-distance transmission line to carry more power, or strategically install batteries and distributed generation.

The state’s utility commission ended up accepting a compromise. Central Maine Power upgraded its transmission system in some areas, while a local clean energy developer, GridSolar, constructed a 1.85-megawatt solar and storage project.

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