More coverage: LePage energy chief defends efforts to reopen offshore wind bids

AUGUSTA — Representatives for the University of Maine’s offshore wind project are defending its move to keep its proposal confidential following calls that it be made public.

Maine Aqua Ventus, the company designing the university’s project, filed comments with the Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday afternoon. The comments are a response to requests by a Norwegian company Statoil and environmental groups.

State regulators approved Statoil’s proposal in January. But LePage pushed for legislation to reopen the competitive bidding process to allow UMaine to submit a bid.

In the filing, Maine Aqua Ventus says making the proposal public will harm its chances for a $46 million federal grant. It also says requiring the bid to be made public could hurt the integrity of bid processes at the commission and other Maine agencies.