Hydro‑Québec seeks permit for 400 kV line

Summary#

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) says it received an application from Hydro‑Québec on July 8, 2022 for a permit to build and operate a 400 kV direct‑current international power line. The CER’s Commission has begun a preliminary technical review and will ask for public comments later in the process.

What it does#

• The application (filed under section 248 of the Canadian Energy Regulator Act) requests permission to build and operate a 400 kV DC power line.
• The proposed route is about 58 km long and would be installed underground from the Hertel substation in La Prairie to a point in Lacolle at the Quebec–New York State border.
• The line would connect with the Champlain Hudson Power Express project in the United States.
• The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator is doing a preliminary technical analysis now. A later notice will invite public comments before any decision.
• The Commission asks interested people to also take part in the Quebec provincial environmental assessment being led by the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques and the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) to avoid duplicate consultations.
• Application documents are available at Hydro‑Québec’s Montreal office, the CER library in Calgary, and on the CER website. The CER contact listed is Mélanie Loisel (Process Advisor). The Secretary of the Commission is Ramona Sladic.

Who's affected#

• Hydro‑Québec, as the applicant.
• People and landowners along the proposed 58 km underground route in the municipalities of La Prairie and Lacolle.
• Participants in the provincial environmental review, including communities and groups that follow BAPE hearings.
• Stakeholders in cross‑border electricity projects, including the Champlain Hudson Power Express project.
• It is not yet clear which specific properties, businesses, or Indigenous communities will be directly affected; those details depend on the route and later stages of the review.

Why it matters#

• If approved, the line would allow high‑capacity electricity transmission between Quebec and New York, which could affect power supply, exports, and regional energy planning.
• Underground construction can reduce visual impact but may cause temporary local disruption during construction and require land access or easements.
• The federal CER review and the Quebec provincial environmental process both matter for how impacts are assessed and how the public can be heard.