Deliveries of electricity over a newly energized transmission line from Quebec into New England were halted on Jan. 24 during a massive winter storm that affected the northeastern US and eastern Canada, according to ISO New England data.
Electricity flows along the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, which began commercial operations Jan. 16, were suspended Jan. 24. On Jan. 25, the line briefly carried approximately 600 megawatts, or half its capacity, before deliveries were halted again. Power flows resumed on the evening of Jan. 26, according to ISO New England data.
Executives at provincial government-owned utility Hydro-Québec, which generates hydroelectric power for export over the line, said the stoppage was due to increased power demand in Québec.
"The polar vortex has brought extreme and sustained cold air across Québec since the weekend," Hydro-Québec COO Serge Abergel told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on Jan. 27. "The surge in demand for power in Québec caused us to suspend deliveries over the New England Clean Energy Connect from Saturday afternoon [Jan. 24] until 6 p.m. [Jan. 26] when they resumed gradually, with full contracted deliveries flowing at around 9 p.m. There were also partial deliveries between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday."
Project developer Avangrid Inc. faced several setbacks in trying to build the line, which runs from the Canada-US border to Lewiston, Maine, and can carry up to 1,200 MW. Maine voters initially opposed the NECEC transmission line, with 59% of voters approving a November 2021 ballot measure to halt construction. However, a Maine jury ruled in April 2023 that Avangrid retained constitutional rights to proceed with development.
The power delivered over the $1.65 billion transmission line is contracted to electric distribution utilities in Massachusetts under 40-year power purchase agreements. Those agreements require Hydro-Québec to "deliver energy in accordance with a schedule which is firm and not subject to interruption except by force majeure," according to Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities orders 18-64, 18-65 and 18-66.
"We are aware of the historic constraints on the Canadian grid due to the extreme cold," Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs spokesperson Maria Hardiman told Platts. "Hydro-Québec is facing steep penalties for each day they are not providing power to Massachusetts, and we know they are working to resume power as quickly as possible."
The structure of the PPAs allows Hydro-Québec to halt power deliveries, according to New England Power Generators Association President Dan Dolan.
"NECEC does not have a reliability-based capacity contract, and that means that New England must be prepared for the significant changes in flows during stressed conditions like this week," Dolan said on Jan. 27. "NEPGA has long highlighted throughout the policy debate in the development and regulatory approval of the NECEC contract, and the region is now dealing with those consequences."
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency authorization to ISO New England on Jan. 25, allowing Calpine Corp.'s dual-fuel, 818-MW Fore River Energy Center in Massachusetts to generate power regardless of environmental permits or state law.
"The New England fleet has performed exceptionally well this weekend using every different fuel and technology to maintain reliable, stable operations through arctic temperatures, heavy snowfall, and even needing to send power to support our neighbors in Québec," Dolan said, noting that power was sent from New England to Quebec as temperatures in Montreal were below 0 degrees F on Jan. 24 and 25. "Part of the diverse generation mix in New England is a large capability to use oil in periods of stress. That has happened at a tremendous scale, which creates strain on fuel infrastructure. But, the system is holding up through this first stretch."
