Update On Canadian-Massachusetts Power Line -- November 4, 2018

Background at this link. Data points:

• Massachusetts needs more electricity; closing down coal and nuclear power plants
• three sources: 
• renewable energy (which, of course, is not enough to make up for lost coal, nuclear)
• natural gas pipelines from the west
• hydroelectricity from Canada
• proposed pipeline projects were killed early on even if they were ever considered
• that left hydroelectricity from Canada but required huge, new, ugly, high-power transmission eline through Maine (LOL -- like that will ever happen)
• 145-mile long transmission line
• transmission line: Avangrid
• Maine's PUC holds the cards including the four ace

Update, as of November 2, 2018, from The Boston Globe, Talking Points PM:

• Avangrid hoped to have state permits by end of 2018
• now shooting for March, 2019
• unfortunately, a separate review by Maine's environmental regulators was also required
• and, oh by the way, federal regulators are also reviewing the high-energy transmission line
• in-service deadline: 2022
• unlikely allies 
• power plant owners in Maine who feel threatened by power plants in Massachusetts which apear to be heavily subsidized by the state of Massachusets
• environmentalists worried about impact of the transmission line
• allies hoping for a "Northern Pass scenario" -- death by regulator scrutiny 
• Northern Pass here; HydroQuebec and Eversource
• and, here; it too was going to bring clean energy to Massachusetts; but it was quickly rejected
• who, what killed the preferred route, the Northern Pass route? New Hampshire
• the new project -- the one that goes through Maine:
• New England Clean Energy Connect
• $950 million project (or $1 billion in round numbers)

Maine will get nothing out of the deal. The project will put at risk Maine's own power companies, and will certainly detract from the beautiful scenery that draws tourists.