Quebec's power reaches Massachusetts after a decade of delays

Overview

For 40 years, Hydro-Québec wanted to sell more power to New England. For 40 years, transmission bottlenecks and local opposition stopped them. On January 16, 2026, a 145-mile power line through Maine's western woods began delivering 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydroelectricity to Massachusetts—enough to supply 20% of the state's needs and the largest clean energy transmission addition to New England's grid in decades. Ten days later, during a winter storm, the line went dark.

The project survived a $90 million referendum campaign funded by fossil fuel generators, a Maine Supreme Court battle, and an 18-month construction halt. Massachusetts ratepayers get a 20-year fixed-price contract projected to save $50 million annually. But the line's first major reliability test exposed a vulnerability: when extreme cold spiked demand in Quebec on January 25-26, Hydro-Québec suspended NECEC deliveries to prioritize domestic needs—precisely when New England needed the power most. The incident triggered potential contract penalties and raised questions about whether this hard-won transmission project can deliver the firm, dispatchable power it promised.

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Key Indicators

1,200 MW

Transmission capacity

Enough to power roughly 1.2 million homes

~20%

Share of Massachusetts electricity

Single largest clean energy source for the state

$50M

Annual ratepayer savings

Under a 20-year fixed-price contract

$90M+

Spent opposing the project

Largely by fossil fuel generators NextEra, Calpine, and Vistra

$1.6B

Total capital expenditure

Absorbed by Avangrid including $500M in delay overruns

50,000

Acres conserved

Permanent conservation creating one of Maine's largest protected areas

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People Involved

Charlie Baker

Now President of NCAA

Maura Healey

In office since January 2023

Janet Mills

In office since January 2019

Thorn Dickinson

Led project through permitting, litigation, and construction

Organizations Involved

Hydro-Québec

Crown Corporation

Power supplier under 20-year contract

Quebec's state-owned utility and North America's largest hydroelectric producer.

Avangrid

Utility Holding Company

Project developer (subsidiary of Iberdrola)

Connecticut-based utility holding company owned by Spanish multinational Iberdrola.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

Energy Company

Lead funder of opposition campaign

Florida-based utility that owns fossil fuel and nuclear plants competing with NECEC power.

ISO New England

Regional Transmission Organization

Grid operator integrating NECEC power

Independent grid operator for the six New England states.

Timeline

NECEC suspends deliveries during winter storm
Operations

Hydro-Québec halts power deliveries via NECEC during extreme cold snap, prioritizing domestic Quebec demand. New England fires up oil-fueled turbines to compensate, significantly increasing emissions. Massachusetts officials confirm Hydro-Québec faces penalties under 20-year contract terms.
January 25th, 2026 • afternoon
Commercial operations begin
Operations

NECEC begins delivering 1,200 MW of Quebec hydropower to Massachusetts.
January 16th, 2026
Final permit secured
Regulatory

Avangrid announces construction will complete by year-end after securing final state permit.
November 21st, 2025
Jury verdict clears construction
Legal

Maine jury rules in favor of NECEC, allowing full construction to resume.
April 2023
Maine Supreme Court overturns referendum
Legal

Court rules citizen initiative cannot retroactively invalidate a valid state lease.
November 29th, 2022
Construction halted
Legal

At Governor Mills' request, NECEC suspends work pending court review of referendum.
November 19th, 2021
Maine voters reject corridor 59-41%
Referendum

After $90 million campaign largely funded by fossil fuel companies, voters approve retroactive ban on transmission corridors.
November 2nd, 2021
DOE grants Presidential Permit
Regulatory

Department of Energy issues final major permit; construction begins.
January 14th, 2021
Army Corps issues permit
Regulatory

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grants wetlands permit, a key federal approval.
November 6th, 2020
Maine PUC approves corridor
Regulatory

Maine Public Utilities Commission grants Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
May 3rd, 2019
Maine Governor Mills endorses project
Political

After securing $250 million in benefits for Maine, Mills announces support for NECEC.
February 21st, 2019
FERC approves NECEC
Regulatory

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission grants approval for the transmission project.
October 19th, 2018
Massachusetts selects NECEC as replacement
Contract

After Northern Pass falls through, state utilities sign 20-year contracts with NECEC for 9.45 TWh annually.
June 14th, 2018
New Hampshire rejects Northern Pass
Regulatory

Site Evaluation Committee unanimously denies permits for Eversource's 192-mile transmission line through New Hampshire.
February 1st, 2018
Massachusetts authorizes clean energy procurement
Legislation

Governor Baker signs Energy Diversity Act requiring utilities to procure 1,200 MW of clean energy via new transmission.
August 8th, 2016

Scenarios

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Predictions leaderboard

NECEC Model Replicated for Offshore Wind Transmission

With NECEC operational, advocates push to apply similar long-term contract structures to build transmission for offshore wind projects. Massachusetts has already issued its first competitive solicitation for onshore transmission to relieve grid constraints. Success would require overcoming the same local opposition and lengthy permitting that nearly killed NECEC—but the precedent of a completed project may shift political calculus.

Discussed by: ISO New England, Massachusetts energy officials, transmission industry analysts

Consensus —

Hydro-Québec Reduces Exports as Climate Shifts Water Availability

Hydro-Québec exports to New England have already fallen 50% since 2022 amid drought conditions and rising domestic Quebec demand. If climate change continues reducing water availability in Quebec's reservoirs, the company may prioritize domestic supply over export contracts. The 20-year fixed-price agreement provides some protection, but delivery volumes could fall short of capacity.

Discussed by: Energy analysts, climate researchers, New England Power Generators Association

Consensus —

Trump Administration Challenges NECEC Permits

The Trump administration has already suspended offshore wind leases and signaled hostility to clean energy projects. NECEC's federal permits—including the Presidential Permit and Army Corps authorization—could face review or challenge. Unlike wind projects, however, NECEC is already operational and delivering power, making retroactive permit revocation legally and practically more difficult.

Discussed by: Legal observers, energy industry sources familiar with federal review

Consensus —

New England Builds Transmission Network to Meet 2050 Demand

ISO-NE projects electricity demand could double by 2050 as transportation and heating electrify. Meeting that demand requires multiple NECEC-scale transmission projects—for offshore wind, additional Canadian hydro, and regional grid reinforcement. Whether NECEC's decade-long development timeline becomes faster or slower will determine if the region can decarbonize on schedule.

Discussed by: ISO New England, regional governors, utility planners

Consensus —

Drought Forces Hydro-Québec to Reduce New England Exports Below Contract Levels

Three years of drought have already reduced Quebec reservoir levels enough that New England exported power to Canada in late 2025—the first time flows reversed on the Phase II line. While NECEC's 20-year contract obligates Hydro-Québec to deliver power, prolonged drought could force the utility to prioritize domestic Quebec demand over export commitments. If climate change continues reducing water availability, contracted volumes may not materialize despite the transmission infrastructure being operational.

Discussed by: Energy analysts, climate researchers, ISO New England observers

Consensus —

NECEC Contract Renegotiated After Reliability Failures

If Hydro-Québec continues prioritizing domestic Quebec demand over NECEC export commitments during winter peaks, Massachusetts may seek contract modifications or additional reliability guarantees. The 20-year fixed-price agreement includes penalty provisions, but repeated delivery failures during high-demand periods could prompt renegotiation. Massachusetts ratepayers paid $521 million in delay costs and were promised firm, dispatchable power—not intermittent supply that vanishes during cold snaps.

Discussed by: Massachusetts energy officials, utility ratepayer advocates, energy industry analysts

Consensus —

Historical Context

Northern Pass Rejection (2018)

2008-2019

What Happened

Eversource proposed a 192-mile transmission line through New Hampshire to deliver 1,000 MW of Hydro-Québec power to Massachusetts. After a decade of development and $318 million in spending, New Hampshire's Site Evaluation Committee unanimously rejected the project in February 2018, citing harm to tourism and rural communities. The state Supreme Court upheld the rejection in 2019.

Outcome

Short Term

Eversource wrote off $200 million. Massachusetts pivoted to NECEC as the backup bidder.

Long Term

The failure demonstrated that local opposition could kill even well-funded transmission projects—and that alternative routes through less populous areas might face less resistance.

Why It's Relevant Today

NECEC succeeded where Northern Pass failed partly because Maine's corridor crossed less populated territory and developers negotiated substantial community benefits. The Northern Pass failure added 2-3 years to New England's timeline for receiving Canadian hydropower.

Phase II Transmission Line (1990)

1986-1990

What Happened

Hydro-Québec completed the 450-kV DC Phase II line from James Bay to Massachusetts, establishing a 1,200-1,400 MW connection that became the region's single largest power source. The project required a decade of planning and construction across multiple jurisdictions.

Outcome

Short Term

New England gained access to firm, dispatchable Canadian hydropower for the first time at scale.

Long Term

Phase II has delivered over 100 billion kWh since completion. But its capacity became a ceiling—Hydro-Québec wanted to export more, but lacked transmission to do so until NECEC.

Why It's Relevant Today

NECEC effectively doubles the transmission capacity between Quebec and New England, breaking a 35-year constraint. The Phase II experience also demonstrated that cross-border transmission projects can operate reliably for decades once built.

Winter Storm Elliott Grid Crisis (2022)

December 2022

What Happened

A severe cold snap stressed the Eastern U.S. power grid. In New England, 2,150 MW of generation failed to start—70% from gas plants that couldn't secure fuel. ISO-NE declared a capacity deficiency. Nine Mid-Atlantic states experienced rolling blackouts.

Outcome

Short Term

The crisis exposed New England's over-reliance on gas generation that competes with home heating for limited pipeline capacity.

Long Term

ISO-NE launched the Inventoried Energy Program to pay generators for maintaining backup fuel supplies. The event strengthened arguments for diverse, non-gas power sources.

Why It's Relevant Today

NECEC's 1,200 MW of hydropower—dispatchable regardless of gas pipeline constraints—directly addresses the reliability gap exposed by Winter Storm Elliott. Canadian hydropower output is highest in winter, precisely when New England's gas system is most strained.