Appalaches-Maine Interconnection
Project overview
The project consists of building a transmission line extending approximately 100 km between Appalaches substation in Saint‑Adrien‑d’Irlande (near Thetford Mines in the Chaudière‑Appalaches region) and a connection point on the Québec–Maine border. The project’s overall aim is to increase the exchange capacity between Québec and New England.
The new 320‑kV direct-current line will connect to the future New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) line, slated for construction in Maine.
In tandem with this project, a new AC-to-DC converter will be installed at Appalaches substation to supply the planned transmission line.
Commissioning is scheduled for 2025.
The project in video
Une présence essentielle sur le chantier (in French only)
On écrit l'histoire ensemble - Inventaire archéologique (in French only)
Project schedule
Spring 2018 – Summer 2019
Draft‑design studies and the public consultation process
Hydro‑Québec is committed to working with the community for the duration of the project. Our team has pledged to keep the dialogue open with the local population at every stage of development.
Since 2018, we have repeatedly met with community representatives (MRCs, municipalities, regional organizations and regional branches of the different government departments affected by the project) as well as with many of the landowners affected by the proposed line route. Our aim has been to record their concerns, take them into account and make adjustments to the project wherever possible.
This kind of approach helps us come to the best solutions together.
To find out more about Hydro-Québec's public consultation process (in French only)
Summer 2019 – Fall 2020
Permitting
Hydro‑Québec filed an environmental impact assessment (in French only) for the project and various applications for government approvals.
The interconnection line will be subject to the provincial environmental impact assessment and review procedure (in French only), which includes a review by the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (in French only) (office for public hearings on the environment) as well as an analysis by the Canada Energy Regulator, given that the power line will cross an international border.
2021 – 2022
Land clearing and building access roads
Operations were suspended in January 2022 further to the referendum held in Maine in November 2021 on the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project.
Summer 2023 – late 2025
Site preparation and construction work (for more information, see the Work tab)
Site preparation work (upgrading roads and culverts and building access roads) resumed in summer 2023 and land clearing work resumed in the fall. Other steps in the construction work (laying foundations, erecting towers and installing cables) are planned for winter 2024. Commissioning is slated for late 2025.
Info-Project – Appalaches-Maine Interconnection
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