North America | January 28, 2026

Arctic cold disrupts new transmission line

Extreme cold halted Canada–New England hydropower, reviving debate over gas, wind and grid resilience as prices briefly hit $800/MWh.

 

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Image for illustrative purposes

USA, Maine: When the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) line began commercial operation in mid-January, officials hailed it as a cleaner, steadier way to power the region. Days later, an Arctic blast exposed its limits.

As the storm arrived, power flows on the new Canada-to-New England line abruptly stopped on 24 January. Apart from a single hour on 25 January at half capacity, deliveries were largely suspended until the evening of 26 January, when they resumed at about 25 per cent. Quebec held back electricity to meet soaring domestic demand as temperatures plunged.

The pause reopened a long-running argument about New England’s electricity mix. Critics said it showed the need for more natural gas pipelines, while others argued the $1.6 B project cannot be relied on during extreme weather. Power plant owners warned that hydropower would be prioritised for Quebec households when cold snaps hit.

Hydro-Quebec acknowledged it expects to pay penalties under its contract with Massachusetts utilities. Demand in Quebec surged beyond 40,000 MW as most homes rely on electric heating. At one point, power even flowed north from New England into Canada.

Despite the setback, the regional grid avoided major disruption. Prices spiked briefly to $800 per megawatt-hour, oil-fired plants ramped up, and regulators allowed emergency operations. Wind generation performed strongly, including output from operating offshore turbines, while rooftop solar helped during clear, cold days.

Analysts said the episode underlined a simple truth: no single project can secure the grid. A broad mix of hydro, wind, solar, storage and gas remains essential for reliability.

Source: E&E News

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