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 about the next step.
“No, I don’t think it’s dead,” he replied in response to questions from journalists from Boston 25 News.
Two days after the citizens of Maine said 60% no to the proposed power line that is to bring electricity from Quebec to Boston, the state governor said he had had discussions with representatives of its administration and the directors of Avangrid, a partner of Hydro-Québec. These discussions focused on what might happen now, he said.
Governor Baker, who signed the 20-year supply contract with Hydro-Quebec, said transmission lines should be built to electrify the economy of Massachusetts and other states.
“Whether it is wind power, hydroelectricity or any other form of renewable energy, the question of transmission will arise because it is a question of doubling or tripling the amount of electricity we are going to use. need, ”he stressed.
Charles Baker recalled that the Minister of Energy of the United States, Jennifer Granholm, had called on the citizens of Maine to support the interconnection project. If the contract were to come to fruition, Quebec electricity would meet 17% of the Boston region’s electricity needs.
While construction continues in Maine, the results of Tuesday’s referendum are being challenged in court by developers of the project, known as New England Clean Energy Connect.