The NECEC Bottleneck: Why New England's New Transmission Line Is Underperforming

The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line was designed to be a cornerstone of the region’s renewable energy supply, but early operational data suggests the project is not yet delivering on its promises. According to reporting from Canary Media, energy flow into New England has increased only marginally since the line began carrying electricity from Canada into Maine in January.

The project's performance has been inconsistent. There have been roughly 27 days when no power traveled along the new line. If current trends continue, New England will receive less hydropower this year over two transmission lines than it did over just one line in 2023 and previous years. Joseph LaRusso, manager of the Clean Grid Program at the Acadia Center, noted that what has been observed so far does not align with the expectations of some stakeholders.

The origins of NECEC are rooted in a 2016 Massachusetts law. That mandate required the state to procure 1.6 gigawatts of offshore wind power and an additional 1.2 gigawatts of renewable energy. The strategy relied on contracting with Hydro-Québec to utilize Canadian hydropower via this new infrastructure.

The path to activation was defined by significant regulatory and social friction:

• A 192-mile proposal through New Hampshire was abandoned in 2019 following public outcry regarding forest impacts.
• In 2021, a statewide referendum in Maine placed the project on hold.
• A jury ruling in 2023 allowed the development to restart.

While the line is now operational, its utility is being tested by simultaneous developments elsewhere, such as the Champlain Hudson Power Express, which began sending electricity from Quebec to New York City this month. The inefficiency of the NECEC flow raises a critical question for the energy transition: Does building more transmission capacity matter if the actual throughput remains unreliable?

The regional decarbonization plan depends on offshore wind and reliable imports. If new lines cannot maintain steady energy flows, the infrastructure becomes an expensive monument to stalled progress rather than a functional tool for the transition.

Watch the seasonal flow data for the NECEC line over the next two quarters to see if the "stop and go" pattern persists or stabilizes.

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