The recent letter to the editor from the spokesperson for Hydro-Quebec ignored important facts that disguise the huge benefit to be realized for Hydro-Quebec and Massachusetts from the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project (“Hydro-Quebec: Project has big benefits for Maine,” April 4).
The purpose of the NECEC is to transmit hydro power from Quebec, through Maine, to the New England grid to meet the hydro power agreements between Hydro-Quebec and three Massachusetts utilities. Over 20 years, Hydro-Quebec will realize $12.5 billion in profit. That’s a whopping $625 million per year, compared to the meager $258 million for Maine that was referenced in the letter to the editor.
More importantly, the $258 million stipulation agreement that was agreed to before the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and referenced in the letter to the editor, will be spread over 40 years. The result will be savings for Maine electric customers of only 35 cents a month. Probably the greatest benefit for Hydro-Quebec is that the NECEC will provide a transmission corridor pathway to sell additional hydro power in the lucrative U.S. market for the purpose of enabling Hydro-Quebec to reach its corporate goal of doubling revenue by 2030.
The very biased poll of Maine citizens by Hydro-Quebec did not produce a legitimate finding of support for the NECEC. A more recent poll continues to show that more than 50% of Maine people oppose the NECEC project, because it will benefit Hydro-Quebec and Massachusetts at the expense of the environment and beauty of the western Maine mountains.
The Hydro-Quebec spokesperson promised fact-based information about the NECEC. But Hydro-Quebec needs to provide all of the facts about the NECEC.
John Nicholas
Winthrop
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