January 14, 2017
Massachusetts, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador

N.L. government interested in new Atlantic Link

Ashley Fitzpatrick | The Telegram | January 12, 2017 | www.thetelegram.com

Emera Inc. has plans to run a submarine power cable from New Brunswick to Massachusetts, and is looking for partners with power to spare, willing to partner on a plan to feed the U.S. marketplace.

And Premier Dwight Ball said this province might look to get in on the deal.

“Well, right now this is very early days,” Ball said when asked about the link project after a speech to the Heavy Civil Association of Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday.

“We’re interested in talking to other provinces, interested in talking to companies who need good, clean, green energy to support some future areas. But for us right now, there’s no discussion with Emera right now. But we’re always hoping for discussions that could actually bring more benefit.”

In a news release issued Wednesday, Emera stated it is gearing up to respond to a request for proposals – expected to come early this year – from Massachusetts, looking for suppliers of clean energy.

The company’s plan is to put together a proposal offering a bundle, including the new link as a direct feed and the supply it hopes to identify through its own search.

The link proposed would be 350 miles of high-voltage direct current line, able to deliver 900 megawatts of power from Coleson Cove, N.B. to one of two landing sites in Massachusetts. The link would be wholly owned by Emera, with NB Power holding an option to participate as a minority investor, according to Emera’s statement.

The plan is to have it in service by 2022.

The link would be three times the size of the Maritime Link, set to feed power from this province into Nova Scotia and developed alongside Nalcor Energy’s Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.

Ball said any sales of surplus energy from this province would be used to help mitigate power rates expected here.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to sell excess power,” he said, also mentioning the province’s relatively untapped wind power potential.

Muskrat oversight changes

Asked about the Muskrat Falls project, the premier said he expects to see the EY report on the megaproject “in a matter of weeks.” Meanwhile, the project oversight committee is being updated.

“We’re having those discussions now with Minister (of Natural Resources Siobhan) Coady and staff to what a new oversight committee would look like,” Ball said.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/01/14/n-l-government-interested-in-new-atlantic-link/