LIVERMORE FALLS — ReEnergy Biomass Operations, with biomass power plants in Livermore Falls and Stratton, has submitted a joint proposal to the Maine Public Utilities Commission with North Light Energy, a Maine company partnered with D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments, for their proposed photovoltaic solar project adjacent to the ReEnergy Livermore Falls facility.

The joint proposal relates to 25 megawatts of the output from the 39-megwatt ReEnergy Livermore Falls plant and all of the output from the planned 40-megawatt solar project called Ice House Solar.

Proposals were due by May 11 and the PUC has been directed to have contracts in place by Dec. 31, 2020. Both ReEnergy and DESRI-North Light have submitted separate independent proposals in addition to the joint proposal.

The two ReEnergy plants purchase approximately 630,000 tons of Maine-sourced biomass from approximately 60 Maine-based logging companies and eight Maine mills. The two plants contribute more than $130 million per year to the Maine economy.

Under the joint proposal, the biomass plant’s contract would start in January 2021 and the solar plant would be placed in service in December 2023. The solar facility would be constructed adjacent to the biomass plant.