Lake Erie Connector
Planned electrical transmission connection between Ontario and Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lake Erie Connector is a planned underwater electric transmission line that would run under Lake Erie to connect the power grids of the Canadian province of Ontario with the American state of Pennsylvania.[1] The 117 kilometres (73 mi) high-voltage direct current line will carry up to 1000 MW and run from Nanticoke, Ontario to Erie County, Pennsylvania.[2]
| Lake Erie Connector | |
|---|---|
Map of Lake Erie Connector | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada United States |
| From | Nanticoke, Ontario |
| To | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| Ownership information | |
| Owner | NextEra Energy |
| Technical information | |
| Type of current | HVDC |
| Total length | 117 km (73 mi) |
| Power rating | 1000 MW |
The connector is budgeted at US$1 billion.[3]
Energy planners first started to work on the project in 2004.[4]
The Lake Erie Connector will use high-voltage DC technology and will be completely buried under the lake bed. NextEra Energy Transmission claims that the project would enhance grid reliability, increase access to renewable energy sources and create economic benefits for both regions.[5]
However, on July 26th, 2022, ITC Investment Holdings Inc. decided to "suspend all project development activities and commercial negotiations on the Lake Erie Connector project."[6]
In early 2024, NextEra Energy acquired the rights to the project, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested another C$655 million into the project. The head of the Canada Infrastructure Bank has made statements that the project is still "very viable," and they "still think it will get built."[7]
