A major electric transmission infrastructure project slated to connect Vermont and New Hampshire to renewable electricity from Quebec — and vice versa — is moving forward with help from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Biden Administration on Monday announced a $1.3 billion allocation to three major electric transmission projects throughout the country. Funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021, the investment aims to shore up the United States’ electric grid utilizing renewable energy sources.
One of the projects receiving funding is Vermont and New Hampshire’s Twin States Clean Energy Link. As designed, electricity could flow in either direction along the 1,200-megawatt line, transmitting hydroelectric power from Quebec to New England or, potentially, offshore wind energy from New England to Quebec, should New England eventually produce more electricity than it needs.
According to project planners, the Twin States Clean Energy Link would include an underground cable running south from the Canada-Vermont border along state roads in Essex County. In Lunenburg, it would cross the Connecticut River from Vermont into New Hampshire and eventually join an existing overhead transmission corridor to Londonderry.
The project is being developed by National Grid, the Massachusetts nonprofit Citizens Energy Corp and the Northeastern Vermont Development Association.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, construction of the transmission line is expected to begin in the second half of 2026. The aim of the project is to bolster the New England electric grid’s capacity and reliability, and to decrease electric utility costs to customers in the region. New Englanders have borne some of the highest electric utility rates in the country over the past year.
As Vermont lawmakers have made an effort to move the state away from fossil fuel dependency — particularly to heat homes and operate vehicles, two of the state’s largest sources of carbon emissions — Gov. Phil Scott has often publicly questioned whether the state’s grid can handle a large-scale, relatively sudden shift to electric sources.
On Tuesday, the governor celebrated the news of the U.S. Department of Energy’s investment, saying in a statement that the Twin States Clean Energy Link “represents a great opportunity for Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom.”
“We look forward to working with our partners as it moves forward and evaluating the benefits to Vermont,” Scott added.
Also celebrating the federal dollars on Tuesday was U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who in a press release said that new transmission lines such as Twin States will be necessary in order to strengthen the power grid, increase electric capacity, lower energy costs and transition to more renewable power sources. He also said the project could be beneficial to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, where the line is projected to run.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law program that DOE is putting into motion will improve access to renewable energy and benefit infrastructure host communities, including many of those in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom,” Welch said. “Expanding and building transmission lines in an environmentally responsible, safe, and clean way will lower costs, create jobs, and help improve energy reliability for families across New England.”
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November 01, 2023 at 04:59AM
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Biden Administration announces federal funding for major electric transmission line through Vermont, New Hampshire - VTDigger
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