Eversource Proposes Burying Northern Pass Power Lines

Eversource, the company behind the Northern Pass project, has unveiled new plans to bury lines on existing roadways and lower power capacity in an effort to move the controversial project forward.

The “Forward NH Plan” includes a number of changes to the clean energy project which hopes to move hydro electric power from Quebec into New Hampshire and to enhance the region’s aging and tapped power grid.

The new plan includes a proposal to bury about 60 miles of power lines through the White Mountains on existing roadways in an effort to eliminate potential view impacts that upset many conservationists and Granite Staters. The line will also reduce the power feed to 1,000 megawatts, which the company believed would allow for the project to be completed safely and in a cost-effective manner.

“We have listened to the concerns voiced in New Hampshire about our previous proposal,” said Bill Quinlan, president of Eversource Operations in New Hampshire. “What we heard loud and clear was that the project must provide direct benefits, and must address concern over views, especially in the most treasured areas of our state. Our new plan provides New Hampshire with unparalleled opportunities, and addresses the issue of view shed in a balanced way, while maintaining the fundamental promise of Northern Pass to deliver clean, reliable, and economically priced power to New Hampshire and New England.”

The project purports to deliver more than $3 billion in direct economic benefits to the state. New Hampshire customers, according to a press statement, can expect another $80 million in energy cost savings annually.

The company will also be setting up a $200 million Forward NH Fund to assist with tourism and economic development initiatives in the North Country. About 2,400 construction jobs are expected to be created delivering about $30 million in economic activity to the region during the construction phase of the project. The project also hopes to deliver up to 3 million metric tons of reduced carbon emissions each year.

For more information about the new Northern Pass route and the Forward NH Plan, visit northernpass.us/forward-nh-press-kit.htm.