NEL, as currently proposed, is a new underground power line that is expected to stretch about 220 miles from northern Maine to northeastern Massachusetts by 2016.
The filing seeks confirmation that the companies’ sale of transmission capacity is consistent with FERC’s open access policies.
Under the proposed participant funding approach, renewable energy generators will pay to use NEL’s transmission capacity.
The companies said that the new line will provide a critical connection to the vast renewable and carbon-neutral energy resources of northern and eastern Maine and eastern Canada.
NEL is in the preliminary stages of development and is expected to have a capacity of 1,100MW.
Under the proposed project, renewable generators would pay to use NEL’s transmission capacity.
US-based First Wind plans to build wind farms in northern and eastern Maine and would buy the majority of the proposed power line’s capacity, and remaining capacity, if any, will be sold to other generators.
Siting and permitting work for NEL is expected to continue over the next two to three years, followed by an estimated three-year construction period.
The power line project is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2016.
