Updated November 20, 2025 – Avangrid has secured the final permit for the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line project, clearing regulation for planned energization by end-year 2025. The permit comes after approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for conservation of 50,000 acres of Maine wilderness. The permit was also a requirement to complete the permitting process. Once operational, the 1,200 MW NECEC line will deliver baseload hydropower from Québec to New England. This, Avangrid notes, will help reduce carbon emissions by up to 3.6 million metric tons annually and yield approximately US$3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts ratepayers.
New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) Transmission Line Project Factsheet
Developer: Avangrid, Inc. (Part of Iberdrola Group)
Project Type: High-voltage transmission line
Capacity: 1,200 MW of baseload hydropower from Québec to New England.
Route: 145 miles transmission corridor. Includes 53 miles of new corridor and 91 miles upgraded existing lines. Avangrid is also spearheading the major repair of the Meyer Substation in Dansville, New York.
Converter Station: Also includes a new converter station as part of infrastructure.
Environmental Impact: 50,000 acres of Maine woodland to be conserved under permit terms.
Emissions Reduction: Up to 3.6 million metric tons of CO2 avoided annually.
Economic Impact: $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts ratepayers.
Job Creation: 1,600 jobs at peak construction.
Estimated Cost: $1.5 billion
Project Timeline
2018: FERC issues approval for the NECEC project.
2019: Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) granted by Maine Public Utilities Commission.
2020: Key state and federal permits secured, including U.S. Army Corps and Maine DEP.
January 2021: Construction begins on the transmission line.
April 2023: A jury rules that NECEC may lawfully proceed, clearing a major legal hurdle.
Mid-2023: Construction restarts and development continues.
May 2025: Avangrid commits to conserving 50,000 acres of Maine forest as part of its permit obligations.
November 2025: Final permit secured from Maine DEP, clearing the way for project commissioning.
End of 2025: Testing to conclude. Avangrid’s NECEC transmission line project to be commissioned.
US$300 Million Contract Awarded for NECEC Transmission Line Project in New England, US
Reported August 14, 2021 – The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) has awarded a US $300m contract to Cianbro its partners Irby Construction, Sargent Electric and Northern Clearing to construct and upgrade the transmission line and provide land clearing for New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project.
Estimated to cost US $950m, the NECEC transmission line project will become the largest source of renewable energy in New England. It is expected to deliver 1,200MW of renewable hydropower to the New England energy grid in Lewiston, Maine.
Also Read: Plans underway for construction of world’s largest solar battery plant in USA
The Project Contract
As per the terms of the contract, the companies will subcontract work to other Maine-based suppliers, contractors and consultants that have a preference to hire Maine workers when possible. Cianbro along with Irby Construction will build the new DC transmission line that will run 233.4km from the Canadian border to a substation in Lewiston, Maine, while NCI will provide all clearing and access road improvement work for the project.
US-based diversified electrical contractor Sargent Electric which has a significant employee presence in Maine will upgrade the transmission line that is required for the project, particularly on a segment from Wiscasset to Windsor and others in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
NECEC has also secured several state agencies and additional permits that are required to commence construction on the project. Construction work is expected to begin in the second quarter of the year.
