A proposed high-voltage direct current transmission line designed to import Canadian power into the New England grid has received a favorable environmental recommendation from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The New England Clean Power Link is a high-voltage, direct-current transmission project proposed by
TDI New England, a subsidiary of private transmission developer Transmission Developers Inc. and ultimately part of the Blackstone Group.
Designed to feed the New England market with up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity, the proposed $1.2 billion New England Clean Power Link project would feature two parallel cables approximately 5” in diameter, operating at a voltage of approximately 300 to 320 kV. These HVDC lines would run about 154 miles. Originating at a DC converter station in Quebec, the U.S. portion of the line would start at the international border in Alburgh, Vermont. It would run beneath the bottom sediments of Lake Champlain for about 98 miles, then turn east and run over land (but underground, mostly under roadway rights-of-way and railway beds) to a terminal converter station in Ludlow, Vermont, where the power could flow onto the New England grid.
Federal law requires most infrastructure development for international trade in energy to apply for and receive a Presidential Permit before the project may be built. TDI New England applied for the presidential permit in May 2014, and applied to the state of Vermont for permits in December 2014.
As part of the Presidential Permit process, the federal National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA requires the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate the potential environmental impacts in the United Statesof the proposed action and the range of reasonable alternatives. In this case, the proposed federal action is the issuance of a Presidential permit to the applicant, Champlain VT, LLC,
doing business as TDI
-
New England, to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a new electric
transmission line across the U.S.-Canada
border in northern Vermont.
On June 3, the Department of Energy released its final draft Environmental Impact Statement or EIS for the New England Clean Power Link. In that document, the Department found relatively minimal and short-term adverse environmental impacts from project construction, operation and maintenance.
Once notice of the draft EIS is published in the Federal Register, the public will have 60 days to comment on its analysis. The Department will also hold public informational meetings in Vermont regarding the project. According to the EIS, TDI New England expects
permitting will continue through mid-2016, with construction and in-service dates as early as 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Meanwhile, TDI is simultaneously pursuing other HVDC transmission lines from Canada into the Northeastern US, most notably the Champlain-Hudson Power Express -- another HVDC line beneath Lake Champlain but continuing on overland and under the Hudson
River to a converter station in New York City. The Champlain-Hudson Power Express won a Presidential Permit in 2014.
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Showing posts with label submarine cable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label submarine cable. Show all posts
Developer applies to VT for Clean Power Link transmission line
Friday, December 12, 2014
A proposed electric transmission line from Quebec into New England took a step forward this week, as the developer of the New England Clean Power Link applied to Vermont regulators for key project approvals.
Transmission Developers Inc. subsidiary TDI New England has proposed the New England Clean Power Link to bring Canadian hydropower and other electricity to the renewable-hungry New England market. With an estimated project cost of $1.2 billion, the 1000-megawatt high-voltage direct-current transmission line would run under Lake Champlain and underground to a converter station in Ludlow, Vermont, near where it would connect to the existing electric grid owned by Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO).
Under Vermont law, the state Public Service Board regulates many aspects of the electric grid. Section 248 of Title 30 of Vermont's statutes requires companies to obtain approval from the Board before beginning site preparation or construction of electric transmission facilities, electric generation facilities and certain gas pipelines within Vermont. For facilities like the proposed transmission line, that Board approval comes in the form of a Certificate of Public Good.
On December 8, 2014, TDI subsidiary Champlain VT, LLC d/b/a TDI New England applied to the Board for a Certificate of Public Good for the project. TDI's petition notes that the project "would contribute to meeting State and regional energy and sustainability goals and result in millions of tons/year in reduced greenhouse gas emissions by replacing electricity generated by fossil fuels," and that running cables under the lake and underground avoids adverse impacts from above-ground installations. Other benefits touted by TDI include economic development (with about $1.5 billion in claimed economic benefits to Vermont and the entire region over the project's 40-year life), improved electric reliability and fuel diversity, and help in mitigating the impacts of the anticipated loss of the Vermont Yankee nuclear station and other major power plants.
TDI's proposal includes components specifically designed to yield local community benefits and thus to cultivate local support for the project. These components include creating $122 million in funds to improve Lake Champlain's water quality, habitat, and recreational values, plus another $40 million for Vermont's Clean Energy Development Fund.
TDI's project now comes before the Vermont Public Service Board for review. The project also needs a presidential permit issued by the U.S. Department of Energy to cross the international boundary, as well as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for impacts to water resources.
At the same time, another transmission line has been proposed under Lake Champlain, namely the $2.2 billion Champlain Hudson Power Express meant to connect Quebec to New York City.
Transmission Developers Inc. subsidiary TDI New England has proposed the New England Clean Power Link to bring Canadian hydropower and other electricity to the renewable-hungry New England market. With an estimated project cost of $1.2 billion, the 1000-megawatt high-voltage direct-current transmission line would run under Lake Champlain and underground to a converter station in Ludlow, Vermont, near where it would connect to the existing electric grid owned by Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO).
Under Vermont law, the state Public Service Board regulates many aspects of the electric grid. Section 248 of Title 30 of Vermont's statutes requires companies to obtain approval from the Board before beginning site preparation or construction of electric transmission facilities, electric generation facilities and certain gas pipelines within Vermont. For facilities like the proposed transmission line, that Board approval comes in the form of a Certificate of Public Good.
On December 8, 2014, TDI subsidiary Champlain VT, LLC d/b/a TDI New England applied to the Board for a Certificate of Public Good for the project. TDI's petition notes that the project "would contribute to meeting State and regional energy and sustainability goals and result in millions of tons/year in reduced greenhouse gas emissions by replacing electricity generated by fossil fuels," and that running cables under the lake and underground avoids adverse impacts from above-ground installations. Other benefits touted by TDI include economic development (with about $1.5 billion in claimed economic benefits to Vermont and the entire region over the project's 40-year life), improved electric reliability and fuel diversity, and help in mitigating the impacts of the anticipated loss of the Vermont Yankee nuclear station and other major power plants.
TDI's proposal includes components specifically designed to yield local community benefits and thus to cultivate local support for the project. These components include creating $122 million in funds to improve Lake Champlain's water quality, habitat, and recreational values, plus another $40 million for Vermont's Clean Energy Development Fund.
TDI's project now comes before the Vermont Public Service Board for review. The project also needs a presidential permit issued by the U.S. Department of Energy to cross the international boundary, as well as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for impacts to water resources.
At the same time, another transmission line has been proposed under Lake Champlain, namely the $2.2 billion Champlain Hudson Power Express meant to connect Quebec to New York City.
Feds approve Quebec-to-NY power line
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
A proposed electric transmission line connecting Quebec to New York will receive a key federal approval, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Department's decision to issue a Presidential
permit to Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. focuses attention on the nation's international trade in electricity, and may suggest increased reliance on power imports.
Pursuant to two Executive Orders -- EO 10485 (September 9, 1953), as amended by EO 12038 (February 7, 1978) -- no electricity transmission facilities may be constructed, operated, maintained, or connected at the U.S. border without first obtaining a Presidential permit from the Department of Energy. In 2010, Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. applied to DOE for a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a 1,000-megawatt (MW), high-voltage direct current (HVDC) merchant electric power transmission system across the U.S./Canada border.
As currently envisioned, the Champlain Hudson Power Express project would cross the U.S./Canada border near the town of Champlain in northeastern New York State. From there, the line would extend southward about 336 miles to the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Rainey substation in Queens, New York. Notably, the aquatic portions of the transmission line would primarily be buried in sediments of Lake Champlain and the Hudson, Harlem, and East rivers, while the terrestrial portions of the line would be buried within existing roadway and railroad rights-of-way.
The Department may issue or amend a permit if it determines that the permit is in the public interest and after obtaining favorable recommendations from the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. In making this determination, DOE considers factors including the proposed project's potential impacts on the environment and electricity reliability.
In the case of the Champlain Hudson Power Express, the Department of Energy's record of decision states that its decision to grant the Presidential permit was based on "consideration of the potential environmental impacts, impacts on the reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and contingency conditions, and the favorable recommendations of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense." With the Presidential permit in hand, the project developer will be one step closer to success -- but additional steps remain, including both securing regulatory approvals and completing the commercial arrangements necessary for project development.
If the project is built, New York consumers may soon have increased access to electricity generated from Canadian hydropower and other resources across their northern border. Will the U.S. soon import more power from Canada? If so, how much, and at what cost? How will market forces and regulatory agendas combine to affect Canadian exports of electricity to the U.S.?
Pursuant to two Executive Orders -- EO 10485 (September 9, 1953), as amended by EO 12038 (February 7, 1978) -- no electricity transmission facilities may be constructed, operated, maintained, or connected at the U.S. border without first obtaining a Presidential permit from the Department of Energy. In 2010, Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. applied to DOE for a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a 1,000-megawatt (MW), high-voltage direct current (HVDC) merchant electric power transmission system across the U.S./Canada border.
As currently envisioned, the Champlain Hudson Power Express project would cross the U.S./Canada border near the town of Champlain in northeastern New York State. From there, the line would extend southward about 336 miles to the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Rainey substation in Queens, New York. Notably, the aquatic portions of the transmission line would primarily be buried in sediments of Lake Champlain and the Hudson, Harlem, and East rivers, while the terrestrial portions of the line would be buried within existing roadway and railroad rights-of-way.
The Department may issue or amend a permit if it determines that the permit is in the public interest and after obtaining favorable recommendations from the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. In making this determination, DOE considers factors including the proposed project's potential impacts on the environment and electricity reliability.
In the case of the Champlain Hudson Power Express, the Department of Energy's record of decision states that its decision to grant the Presidential permit was based on "consideration of the potential environmental impacts, impacts on the reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and contingency conditions, and the favorable recommendations of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense." With the Presidential permit in hand, the project developer will be one step closer to success -- but additional steps remain, including both securing regulatory approvals and completing the commercial arrangements necessary for project development.
If the project is built, New York consumers may soon have increased access to electricity generated from Canadian hydropower and other resources across their northern border. Will the U.S. soon import more power from Canada? If so, how much, and at what cost? How will market forces and regulatory agendas combine to affect Canadian exports of electricity to the U.S.?
July 14, 2011 - Maine tidal power navigates the regulatory process
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Can tidal power produce electricity for a Maine island?
Developer TideWorks LLC apparently thinks so. In January 2010, Tideworks filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a 5 kilowatt project to be sited in the Sasanoa River, off the east side of the island town of Georgetown near Bath. This small project was proposed to provide power to a single-family dwelling on 15-acre Bareneck Island. Tideworks initially applied to FERC for an exemption from licensing. In its application, Tideworks described the project as including a single vertical shaft turbine-style generator housed on a 10' x 20' steel pontoon float held parallel to the east side of Bareneck Island using 40' steel struts. The Bareneck Island house is currently tied to the mainland grid by a 7,200 volt submarine cable, stepped down to 220 volts by a transformer on the island. While Tideworks proposed to keep this underwater cable connection "unless or until the applicant feels the proposed turbine unit will sustain the power needs of the dwelling", its application noted that the power generated by the turbine will be utilized to power the existing residence.
Beyond the technical challenges of building the project, this Maine tidal project must now navigate the regulatory process. Throughout 2010, agencies like NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce filed cautious comments with federal regulator FERC. After requesting more information from the developer, FERC accepted Tideworks' exemption application for processing and solicited comments. By September, FERC deemed the application ready for environmental analysis.
As agencies reviewed the project, the U.S. Department of the Interior and Maine Department of Marine Resources used their authority under Section 30(c) of the Federal Power Act to require Tideworks to screen the turbine to prevent fish from being killed. Specifically, the agencies requested a screen with openings of 1 inch or less, and an approach velocity of two feet per second or less at the screen to allow fish to swim away from the intake. These measures are used to protect fishery resources at conventional riverine hydropower projects, and the agencies urged the use of this standard given the unknown effects of the proposed hydrokinetic turbine unit on fishery resources. However, this slow approach velocity was below the minimum operating velocity of the turbine, significantly challenging the project's design. As Tideworks later described the standoff in a filing to FERC, "the project will not be able to generate/operate as a result of these two agency 30(c) conditions (screening/approach velocity)".
Additionally, the developer was encouraged to choose a different regulatory path. Rather than FERC's traditional licensing process, the project appeared to qualify for a more streamlined licensing process for hydrokinetic pilot projects. By March 2011, Tideworks filed an amendment to its application, dropping the request for an exemption from licensing and instead seeking a hydrokinetic pilot license. FERC noted that the same environmental protections, including the problematic screening, would likely apply to a hydrokinetic pilot license as well, and asked the developer to work with key agencies to identify any other project restrictions.
Last week, FERC again asked the developer for more information. In a letter, FERC reminded Tideworks of the commission's hydrokinetic pilot project licensing procedures, including the need to file specific documents including a draft license application and notice of intent.
The hydrokinetic project licensing process is new enough that it is hard to call any one project "typical", but the Tideworks project on the Sasanoa River in Maine illustrates the process of developing an island tidal power resource.
 |
| Sunset over skiffs tied up at Five Islands in Georgetown, Maine. |
Developer TideWorks LLC apparently thinks so. In January 2010, Tideworks filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a 5 kilowatt project to be sited in the Sasanoa River, off the east side of the island town of Georgetown near Bath. This small project was proposed to provide power to a single-family dwelling on 15-acre Bareneck Island. Tideworks initially applied to FERC for an exemption from licensing. In its application, Tideworks described the project as including a single vertical shaft turbine-style generator housed on a 10' x 20' steel pontoon float held parallel to the east side of Bareneck Island using 40' steel struts. The Bareneck Island house is currently tied to the mainland grid by a 7,200 volt submarine cable, stepped down to 220 volts by a transformer on the island. While Tideworks proposed to keep this underwater cable connection "unless or until the applicant feels the proposed turbine unit will sustain the power needs of the dwelling", its application noted that the power generated by the turbine will be utilized to power the existing residence.
Beyond the technical challenges of building the project, this Maine tidal project must now navigate the regulatory process. Throughout 2010, agencies like NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce filed cautious comments with federal regulator FERC. After requesting more information from the developer, FERC accepted Tideworks' exemption application for processing and solicited comments. By September, FERC deemed the application ready for environmental analysis.
As agencies reviewed the project, the U.S. Department of the Interior and Maine Department of Marine Resources used their authority under Section 30(c) of the Federal Power Act to require Tideworks to screen the turbine to prevent fish from being killed. Specifically, the agencies requested a screen with openings of 1 inch or less, and an approach velocity of two feet per second or less at the screen to allow fish to swim away from the intake. These measures are used to protect fishery resources at conventional riverine hydropower projects, and the agencies urged the use of this standard given the unknown effects of the proposed hydrokinetic turbine unit on fishery resources. However, this slow approach velocity was below the minimum operating velocity of the turbine, significantly challenging the project's design. As Tideworks later described the standoff in a filing to FERC, "the project will not be able to generate/operate as a result of these two agency 30(c) conditions (screening/approach velocity)".
Additionally, the developer was encouraged to choose a different regulatory path. Rather than FERC's traditional licensing process, the project appeared to qualify for a more streamlined licensing process for hydrokinetic pilot projects. By March 2011, Tideworks filed an amendment to its application, dropping the request for an exemption from licensing and instead seeking a hydrokinetic pilot license. FERC noted that the same environmental protections, including the problematic screening, would likely apply to a hydrokinetic pilot license as well, and asked the developer to work with key agencies to identify any other project restrictions.
Last week, FERC again asked the developer for more information. In a letter, FERC reminded Tideworks of the commission's hydrokinetic pilot project licensing procedures, including the need to file specific documents including a draft license application and notice of intent.
The hydrokinetic project licensing process is new enough that it is hard to call any one project "typical", but the Tideworks project on the Sasanoa River in Maine illustrates the process of developing an island tidal power resource.
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