InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/series/northern-pass/page/8)
CONCORD — After two weeks of discussions, the Massachusetts clean energy bid selection committee decided to continue negotiations with Northern Pass, but to also negotiate with Central Maine Power on its New England Clean Energy Connect.
In Maine, Gov. Paul LePage’s State-of-the-State speech Tuesday night, he said “people from Massachusetts are coming this week to see if we are serious about allowing a transmission line that is only about 40 miles that we need (to) connect into an infrastructure that we already have.”
The Public Utilities Commission has approved an agreement allowing Eversource to lease transmission rights-of-way to Northern Pass if the controversial application to build a 192-mile powerline from Pittsburg to Deerfield that was recently denied ends up winning on appeal.
Jack Savage, spokesman for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, details why he believes state regulators concluded Eversource Energy/Northern Pass did not meet the burden of proof to build the proposed 192-mile high-voltage transmission line from Pittsburg to Deerfield.
As Massachusetts scrambles to proceed with its major clean energy project after Northern Pass’s application was recently denied, GOP Gov. Chris Sununu took to the radio on Friday to blast the Site Evaluation Committee’s unanimous 7 to 0 vote against building the controversial 192-mile powerline from Pittsburg to Deerfield.
It was a real David and Goliath story played out over seven years. And while Northern Pass plans to appeal after regulators denied its $1.6 billion transmission project last week, lots of people along the proposed route from Pittsburg to Deerfield are celebrating. Project supporters say they are disappointed as Massachusetts officials scramble to figure out how to proceed now – with or without Northern Pass.
One would hope that the SEC’s decision would point Eversource and other industry payers in the direction of more local and small-scale projects when it comes to needed improvements to our energy infrastructure. Energy efficiency, demand response, micro-grids, battery storage, and small-scale generation facilities are the kind of infrastructure that does not require SEC approval, yet all count.
The likelihood of Hydro-Quebec electricity flowing into New England is greater than the likelihood that Northern Pass is built in its current configuration.
Martin Murray, spokesman for Northern Pass, said, “We are shocked and outraged by today’s SEC outcome.” He continued, “Clearly, the SEC process is broken.” In other words: How dare the members of the SEC (site evaluation committee) not do as we command! And all seven of them!
After the stunning vote against Northern Pass’ application on Thursday, Vermont-based TDI-NE says it’s ready to help Massachusetts’s clean energy goals with its fully permitted project that will be buried underground in Vermont and through Lake Champlain.