GPCOG and SMRCC Grid Resilience Series – Session Three: As electricity demand grows and climate-driven stress on the grid intensifies, long-term grid planning is becoming increasingly critical to maintaining reliable and resilient electric service. In this workshop, Craig Nale, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at Central Maine Power, will walk participants through CMP’s Integrated Grid Plan and share how the utility is planning for the future. Craig’s presentation will provide an overview of the inputs that shape long-term grid planning, the range of solutions considered to meet demand, and how reliability and resiliency are evaluated as part of that process. Topics will include load forecasts, key sources of stress on the electric system, and the tools used to maintain reliable service, from traditional poles-and-wires investments to advanced technologies such as automation, batteries, and other grid-enhancing solutions. The session will also touch on rate design and flexible interconnection, helping communities better understand how utility planning, regulation, and local action intersect. This workshop offers municipal staff, planners, communittee members, and local leaders valuable insight into how the electric grid is evolving—and how communities can engage more effectively in conversations about grid resilience and future energy needs. About this Series GPCOG and SMRCC’s Grid Resilience Series is designed to help towns understand the critical role they can play in strengthening Maine’s electric grid. The series provides practical guidance on how local governments can engage with regional grid planning efforts and explores how communities can influence a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy future for Maine.