Maine Express
Facts
| Capacity | 1,000 MW |
|---|---|
| Cable Type | HVdc submarine |
| Length | 150 miles (235 km) |
| Starting Point | Wiscasset, Maine |
| End Point | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Converter Station Size | 3 acres |
| Cable Diameter | 6 inches |
| Depth cable buried | 3 feet |
| In Service Date | Q1, 2014 |
Key Milestones
- Pre-Feasibility Engineering
- Interconnection Application
- Public Announcement
- Public and Governmental Outreach
- Route Selection
- Environmental Study
- ISO-NE System Impact Study
- State and Federal Environmental Submissions
- Transmission Customer Negotiations
- Detailed Route Survey
- ISO-NE Approval
- State and Federal Approval
- Project Finance
- Start Construction
Project Overview
The Maine Express HVdc Project is an exciting new 1,000 MW High Voltage direct current (HVdc) merchant underwater power line from an HVdc converter station near Wiscasset, Maine, to an HVdc converter station situated on the waterfront in Boston Harbor. HVdc, as opposed to traditional AC, technology allows large volumes of power to be transferred in natural corridors such as waterways with minimal losses or visual impacts and with maximum control to the system operators. The Maine Express will link the vast potential of renewable energy under development and proposed in Maine with the ever increasing load of Boston. The two six inch diameter submarine power cables will have a length of approximately 150 miles and will be buried on the ocean floor at a depth of three feet. The underwater route minimizes environmental impacts and offers extremely reliable transmission services with minimal visual impact to the communities we serve.