A U.S. Department of Energy study released in July shows the Eversource Energy’s planned $1 billion Northern Pass transmission line from Canadian into New England through New Hampshire is the cheapest option for import of electricity via that route, although it would have an impact on property values, tourism and wildlife.
The much-anticipated DOE environmental impact study explored 11 options for the proposal bringing 1,200 megawatts of Canadian electricity – mostly generated by hydroelectric plants – into New England via a 187-mile transmission line through northern New Hampshire. The project would be owned by Eversource Energy, which is headquartered in Hartford and Boston and is the parent company of Connecticut’s main electric utility, also named Eversource Energy.
The study concluded that building the transmission line would result in a $134 million reduction in New England wholesale electricity costs and a 7-percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, because the Canadian power is cheaper and is generated by cleaner fuels. The proposal to build this overhead transmission line also had the lowest construction costs at $1.06 billion.
The problem with the overhead transmission line, the report concluded, is the impact it would have on the visual field (i.e. the scenery) in scenic northern New Hampshire, which could impact property values and potentially wildlife. No threatened or endangered species is expected to be impacted by the transmission line.
One of the main alternatives was undergrounding the transmission line, although the report noted that would double the costs of the project.
Eversource Energy has been working to install the Northern Pass transmission line for nearly 10 years. A major sticking point in the project has been the objections of the residents of northern New Hampshire, who are concerned about how the transmission line would affect the natural beauty of the region.
The DOE report is a major step in the decision-making process for the project. DOE will conduct public hearings in New Hampshire before issuing its final report on the environmental impact.
