The Ray’s ROW Expertise Provided in Maine’s Energy Infrastructure Initiative
As states accelerate their energy transitions, optimizing existing public assets has become critical to expanding grid capacity. With this mission in mind, we are proud to share our ongoing work supporting the State of Maine's exploration of resilient energy infrastructure development.
In partnership with Energy + Environmental Economics (E3), The Ray’s State Partnerships and Strategy program executed a specialized subtask mandated by Maine Legislative Document 197 (“An Act Regarding Energy Infrastructure Development”). We conducted a comprehensive literature review for the Maine Department of Energy Resources (ME DOER), examining precedents, challenges, and opportunities for transmission colocation within transportation right-of-way (ROW), focusing on highways and railways at the federal level, across other states, and within Maine.
This deep dive into ROW transmission colocation reinforces our role as ROW experts, specializing in how transportation corridors can be best leveraged for resilient energy grid expansion, including geospatial analysis, project planning, and early coordination across the energy and transportation sectors, as well as across federal and state-level agencies. By synthesizing nationwide precedents, our review provides a clear framework of considerations and potentials for safely and effectively utilizing existing infrastructure options to meet modern energy demands.
Grounding the Research in Stakeholder Collaboration
A critical milestone for this project was direct engagement with Maine’s Transmission Stakeholder Group, where we presented our foundational literature review findings and detailed how other jurisdictions have navigated the technical, legal, and operational landscapes of roadway and railway colocation.
Together, The Ray and E3 generated a transformational resource for Maine's state agencies and regional actors as they evaluate future ROW colocation options. Feedback from this collaborative stakeholder session shaped and guided our contributions to the final written report.
Exploring the Final Report
Our dedicated section contributes directly to the comprehensive final report, released on September 1, 2026. “Existing Rights-of-Way and Electric Transmission” investigates the role that Maine’s more than 2,300 miles of roadway and railway corridors may play in transmission planning. It finds that transportation colocation offers notable alternatives for reducing impacts to greenfield sites, shortening permitting timelines, and lowering costs, while also highlighting the technical, regulatory, and operational nuances inherent in shared corridors. Furthermore, it outlines opportunities for future consideration, such as geospatial analysis, constructability reports, and inter-agency coordination, to help establish a structured framework for evaluating and streamlining future colocation efforts.
This milestone publication serves as a key resource and strategic framework as Maine leaders assess long-term energy infrastructure options.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside E3 for the benefit of ME DOER and the State of Maine on this vital study. By combining geospatial analysis with early cross-agency coordination, state leaders now have a practical framework to leverage existing corridors for faster, cost-effective grid expansion.”
The final report provides information on Maine’s changing grid needs, regulatory processes, and available solutions to address them and reduce costs. It describes how considerations such as aging infrastructure and new generation may shape transmission planning decisions. In the report's introductory memo, ME DOER Acting Commissioner Celina Cunningham emphasizes that “as the need for new transmission infrastructure is identified through the planning processes described in the Study, those needs must be addressed cost-effectively, as well as with meaningful engagement with impacted communities.”
