NECEC obtains Presidential Permit – Transmission line in the United-States gets the final green light

Marking the final major step in the U.S. regulatory approval process, the U.S. Department of Energy has granted the Presidential Permit to the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) power transmission line. Hydro-Québec’s partner AVANGRID will begin construction work on the line in Maine.

With this, the NECEC successfully concludes a rigorous 33-month review involving numerous independent, technical and other studies. All the major required permits have now been obtained from state and federal agencies:

• U.S. Department of Energy (Presidential Permit) – January 2021
• United States Army Corps of Engineers – November 2020
• Maine Department of Environmental Protection – May 2020
• Maine Land Use Planning Commission – January 2020
• Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities - June 2019
• Maine Public Utilities Commission – May 2019

“Receiving the Presidential Permit is excellent news. Just like the pandemic, climate change knows no borders. This interconnection project is a tremendous step toward decarbonization,” said Hydro-Québec President and CEO Sophie Brochu. “It will help reduce atmospheric pollution while ensuring homes and businesses a reliable electricity supply, thanks to competitive, renewable energy from Québec.”

When completed, the NECEC will carry 1,200 MW of Québec hydropower to New England by way of Lewiston, Maine. The interconnection will support the 20-year contract for 9.45 terawatthours (TWh) of clean hydroelectricity with Massachusetts, and Maine is guaranteed 500,000 megawatthours (MWh) per year for the same period, as per the agreement reached last summer.

In Québec, the regulatory process for the Appalaches–Maine interconnection is ongoing. To date, the project has received approvals from the Régie de l’énergie du Québec and the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec.