P.E.I. underwater power cable plan open for public input
If approved, the project would be completed by 2017
Maritime Electric, NB Power and government officials are holding open houses this week on the proposed installation of two new submarine cables between Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., and Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick.
The project will also include 60 kilometres of new transmission line between Cape Tormentine and Memramcook. A substation expansion at Borden is also being proposed.
Kim Griffin with Maritime Electric said the open houses are a chance for the public to hear exactly what's planned, hear about the environmental impact assessment, ask questions and provide feedback.
"The project would be in the water for a few weeks but many of the fishermen have asked us to look at later dates, and that is something that we've changed in our report," Griffin said.
"We have looked at different methods for installation in the Northumberland Strait based on feedback from many organizations and we have incorporated that as well into our reports. And we've been getting some great feedback from Islanders on the proposed project and we hope that continues."
The open houses take place tomorrow from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Best Western in Charlottetown and Wednesday 2 to 8 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion in Borden-Carleton.
Project expected to cost up to $140M
If approved, cable installation would begin in the Northumberland Strait in the fall of 2016, with the final project being completed in June 2017.
The P.E.I. government would own the new connection, through the P.E.I Energy Corporation, and Maritime Electric would operate it.
The two new cables will have a total capacity of 360 MW, replacing the two 100 MW lines currently running under the Northumberland Strait.
The current cables are 38 years old and have a maximum life expectancy of 50 years. Maritime Electric has said it considers every year past 40 a risk.
In March, the federal government announced it would contribute $50 million toward the project, which is estimated to run somewhere between $120 million and $140 million.