A decade in the making, clean energy power line for Mass. is up and running
WBUR • • business
Key Points:
- The New England Clean Energy Connect, a 145-mile high-voltage transmission line carrying 1,200 megawatts of hydroelectric power from Quebec to Massachusetts, is now operational, supplying about 20% of the state's electricity needs and projected to save ratepayers $50 million annually under a 20-year fixed price contract.
- The project faced significant delays and opposition, including a 2021 Maine referendum that halted construction and increased costs by over $500 million, with Massachusetts ratepayers ultimately bearing the financial impact.
- Despite challenges, the transmission line marks a major environmental milestone for Massachusetts, aiding its goal to eliminate carbon emissions by mid-century and addressing rising regional electricity demand amid uncertainties in offshore wind development.
- Maine residents will also
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