The line would bring Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts load centers. Source: Wikipedia

Northern Pass Transmission was selected to negotiate a contract to provide Massachusetts with enough electric power to meet around 17 percent of the Commonwealth's annual demand.

The $1.6-billion project would build a 192-mile-long, 1,090-megawatt transmission line to import power from Hydro-Quebec dams and reservoirs. The proposed line would cross central New Hampshire on its way to load centers in Massachusetts.

Project developers are Eversource and Hydro-Quebec. Negotiated contracts must be approved by the Department of Public Utilities.

Reports says that Eversource submitted two bids in the Massachusetts Clean Energy RFP: one for 100 percent hydro, and a second that would blend the hydro with wind power under development by Gaz Metro and Boralex.

The 100-percent hydro option was found to provide the most benefit to consumers while best meeting the state's emission-reduction goals, Massachusetts officials said.

Northern Pass proposes to go into service by the end of 2020. It has gained major permits on both sides of the international border, but still needs approval from New Hampshire's Site Evaluation Committee.

Major New England transmission proposals were submitted by Central Maine Power and Avangrid; by TDI New England and Blackstone; by National Grid; and by Emera.

Northern Pass was selected by an evaluation team with representatives from Massachusetts utilities Eversource, National Grid and Unitil and from the Department of Energy Resources. The process was overseen by an independent evaluator.