The governor of Massachusetts, Charles Baker, believes that the results of the Maine referendum do not mean the end of the project, but he wonders what will happen next.
Posted Nov 4, 2021
“No, I don’t think it’s dead,” he replied in response to questions from reporters. Boston 25 News.
Two days after Maine citizens voted 60% no to the power line project that will bring electricity from Quebec to Boston, the state’s governor said he had discussions with representatives of its administration and the leaders of Avangrid, a partner of Hydro-Québec. Those talks focused on what might happen now, he said.
Governor Baker, who entered into the 20-year supply contract with Hydro-Quebec, indicated that transmission lines should be built to electrify the economy of Massachusetts and other states.
“Whether it’s wind, hydro, or any other form of renewable energy, the question of transmission is going to come up because it’s about doubling or tripling the amount of electricity that we’re going to need,” he said.
Charles Baker recalled that the Minister of Energy of the United States, Jennifer Granholm, had invited the citizens of Maine to support the interconnection project. If the contract were carried out, Quebec electricity would meet 17% of the electricity needs of the Boston region.
As construction work continues in Maine, Tuesday’s referendum results are being challenged in court by developers of the project, known as New England Clean Energy Connect.