Article content

Hydro-Québec will have an opportunity to save its $10-billion export contract with Massachusetts, even if the state decides not to stick with the Northern Pass transmission line, which has failed to secure approval in New Hampshire.

The New England Clean Energy Connect proposal, which would be built through a partnership with Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Avangrid, was selected as an alternative option on Friday by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Second Hydro-Québec proposal selected as backup by Massachusetts if Northern Pass remains blocked Back to video

Conditional negotiations around the New England Clean Energy Connect plan will start in parallel with the continuing discussions between Massachusetts and the promoters of Northern Pass, Hydro-Québec and its U.S. partner Eversource.

However, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has set a deadline of March 27 for the Northern Pass.

The cost of New England Clean Energy Connect is estimated at US$950 million, and that doesn’t include the cost of building a transmission line in Quebec to the border with Maine. The project would be scheduled to be in service by 2022.