Don’t stop there: critics say NS should also seek power agreements with Nfld

The announcement from the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick governments about a new transmission line between the two provinces is being met with some skepticism.

Nova Scotia and NB Power have revealed plans to build new transmission lines to more than double the capacity they have to ship electricity between them.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says the link would give the province a stronger grid and allow it to import and export power.

But Dalhousie University engineering professor Larry Hughes says he’s not convinced the two provinces need to be connected.

However, he can see why the government has committed to a new energy corridor with New Brunswick.

Hughes says the target of having 40 per cent of the province’s energy come from renewable sources by 2020 is nearly impossible, and because of that the province will need considerable backup – possibly more than what has been announced.

“Given all the hoopla surrounding this, I was surprised by how little was acutlaly said,” “I was hoping for something much larger. I was expecting something much larger, to be honest with you.”

Hughes says there’s also a downside to integrating power supply with another province.

“What was interesting was one of the arguments presented, which was that Nova Scotia has to do this because Nova Scotia is an energy island,” he said. “Interestingly enough, in August 2003, when there was the eastern North America blackout, Nova Scotia was protected because it was an island.”

Liberal leader Stephen McNeil called Tuesday’s announcement a step in the right direction, but said energy sharing agreements should be in place among all four Atlantic provinces.

“We need to go even further,” he said. “We need to make sure that we are connected to Newfoundland and Labrador so that Nova Scotians have access to Lower Churchill. That will provide us witha  large quantity of hydro power that will be at a stable rate.”

Dexter says Tuesday’s announcement opens the door to using his province as part of a route to get power from Lower Churchill in Labrador to waiting markets in New England.

Dexter says they are still in the process of talking to Newfoundland about that prospect.

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