Granite State Power Link Proposal

Details

Created on Thursday, 14 September 2017 19:41

Written by Matt Tritto

NORTH EAST KINGDOM- The Granite State Power Link is making a power line that is set to transfer 1,200 megawatts of hydro-electric power from Canada all the way through New England. The Vermont portion of the power line is expected to run through eight towns in the North East Kingdom. 

NVDA (Northern Vermont Development Association) Executive Director David Sneaker said: “ As proposed the Granite State Power Link would parallel an existing velco owned transmission line that runs through much of Essex County and then crossing into Caledonia County before it goes into New Hampshire”.

The NVDA has reached out to local select boards in the North East Kingdom and Governor Phil Scott. This power line will be built primarily adjacent to or within existing transmission corridors and maximize use of existing infrastructure to minimize environmental and visual impacts along the route and drive down development costs. 

This is expected to lower electricity costs of New England energy customers by 1.1 billion dollars in its first 10 years of operation. It will also create more than 2,000 jobs during construction.

“National Grid is willing to commit money for regional planning and economic development because this line is running through one of the poorer parts of the state of Vermont,” Snedeker said.

This project is still in the approval stage, but is hoping to get started a year from now.