Article contentArsenault said P.E.I. is also hoping to see an upgrade to the transmission line between Salisbury, N.B., and Onslow, N.S., a key connection between the NB Power, Nova Scotia Power and Maritime Electric grids.Article contentHe says he would also like to see some assistance for upgrades to P.E.I. grid to allow three-phase power, a more efficient power system for high-power users like some farming operations.Article contentOver the winter, residents of Summerside experienced a number of unplanned power outages. Maritime Electric blamed the disruption on failures at its substation in Sherbrooke. This prompted accusations from the Opposition Liberals that Maritime Electric and the governing Progressive Conservatives were unable to keep up with the power demands of the province’s growing population.Article contentNo projects yet approvedArticle contentIn an interview on July 9, Tim Hodgson, the federal Minister of Energy, said no projects have yet been designated as being in the national interest under the Building Canada Act.Article contentArticle contentThat act, which received royal assent in Ottawa on June 26, set out five basic criteria that these projects must meet. These include strengthening Canadian resilience and security, contributing to clean growth and meeting climate change commitments and advancing the interests of Indigenous peoples.Article content“We’re still at the very early stages. I think what people have to keep in mind is the legislation was passed two weeks ago,” Hodgson said.Article content Tim Hodgson, Ottawa’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, did not commit to providing financial assistance to P.E.I.’s call for expanded intertie transmission cables beneath the Northumberland Strait. But he did say he believes that this proposal, as part of the Eastern Energy Partnership, would be “received very well.” Photo by Stu Neatby /The GuardianArticle contentHodgson said he had not yet seen a lot of detail on P.E.I.’s proposal for improved subsea transmission cables. He also said the goal of the Building Canada Act is to improve the regulatory process for projects in the national interest. Ideally, he would like to see provinces find private sector proponents to help finance these nation-building projects.Article content“The bill is designed to deal with clarity and permitting around timelines. It’s not designed to pay for a whole bunch of things,” Hodgson said.Article contentThat said, Hodgson said he was encouraged by the discussions around the Eastern Energy Partnership. He said linking the energy grid across the Atlantic region, while facilitating clean power projects like wind and solar, would be in the national interest.Article contentHe said he does hope to see P.E.I.’s grid become more connected to the Atlantic region.Article content“I would say, to the extent that we execute on facilitating making P.E.I. more a part of one Atlantic economy, some of the nation-building projects make more sense,” Hodgson said.Article contentArticle contentArticle content
P.E.I. plugs subsea cable upgrades as part of ‘nation-building’ project push
