After years of planning, Hydro-Quebec is finally outlining the path a new high-voltage line in Quebec will take to be built to allow electricity to be delivered to New York City.
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The underground route, valued at one hundred million dollars, will extend 56.1 kilometers between the Hertel substation in La Prairie and La Colle, where a 1.6 kilometer part of the submarine will be launched under the Richelieu River, where Hydro will be connected to the American network.
The size of this work, which is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2023, has not been disclosed. But it will be about one hundred million dollars according to our sources. On the American side, the construction of 545 kilometers of tunnels and branch rivers will require investments of up to 4 billion US dollars.
eight municipalities
In total, eight municipalities will be affected by the construction of the Department of Quebec. Outre La Prairie et Lacolle, s’ajoutent les municipalités de Saint-Philippe, Saint-Jacques-le-Mineur, Saint-Édouard, Saint-Patrice-de-Sherrington, Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville et Saint-Bernard-de- glue.
From the Hertel sub-station, the route follows a series of rows and tracks that cross the communes of Saint-Philippe and Saint-Jacques-le-Mineur (Renne Saint-Raphaël, Ren Saint-Claude, Montée Signer, Saint-Marc, Route Édouard VII and Mont Saint-Jacques ).
However, it would partially cross the ancestral lands, three times larger, known as the Seigneurie de Sault-Saint-Louis, granted in 1680.
From St-Jacques-le-Mineur, the road will then follow the right-of-way of the A-15 for approximately 24 km to Route 202, at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. The final section will then follow the Ranges St-Georges and Edgerton, and Fairbanks Creek to the Richelieu River, which flows into Lake Champlain.
Benefits of Kahnawàke
In total, the line will take right-of-way for regional and municipal roads for 29 kilometers, the A-15 for 24 kilometers, and farmland for 3 kilometers, Hydro says.
If all goes as planned, this line will, from 2025, allow the transmission of 1,250 megawatts of power, which is equivalent to the needs of one million households in the United States.
To compensate for the line’s passage on ancestral donated lands, formerly known as Seignerie de Sault-Saint-Louis, Hydro-Québec partnered with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà: ke.
Details of this partnership have not been disclosed yet. We’ve been limited to saying so far that once the line is up and running, society will be able to reap the “40-year economic benefits”.
The connection line between Hertel and New York
Photo Courtesy/Hydro-Québec
Sophie Laurent is a contributor to Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Sophie is committed to presenting accurate information, practical insights, and relevant stories in a straightforward and reader-friendly manner, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience.