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Western Maine Energy Storage is developing a $1 billion pumped storage hydropower project in Oxford County, primarily located in Dixfield. The project aims to build two interconnected reservoirs, each 100 acres, to generate 500 megawatts of on-demand power.

The company has filed for a preliminary permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to secure the site for feasibility studies, a process expected to take four to five years. Construction may begin around 2031, with the facility operational by 2033.

The reservoirs will initially be filled from the Androscoggin River, utilizing excess renewable energy to pump water to the upper reservoir and releasing it during peak demand. This project, the first of its kind in Maine, is designed to stabilize the grid and provide firm renewable energy.