Pros and Cons of the Northern Pass Energy Project

Pros

• Access to 1,200 megawatts (the equivalent of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station) of lower-carbon, lower-cost, renewable hydro power. 
• New high-voltage transmission and converter capacity adding needed robustness to the North American power grid to prevent blackouts and even security from terrorist attacks. 
• The creation of 1,200 new jobs and a new source of property taxes in economically-challenged areas of New Hampshire–$28 million in local, county, and state revenues. 
• Whether you agree with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or not, it is a reality and this project is needed to met the RGGI goal of a 10 percent reduction in CO2 by 2018. 
• We rather get our power from Canada or from extremely unstable areas such as Iraq,Iran,Russia,Venezuela. 
• Negative environmental impact of the towers, right-of-way and construction and of the Canadian hydro-stations/reservoirs. 

Cons

• Negative visual impact which would discourage tourism–the region’s number 1 industry. 
• Negative health affects from the electro-magnetic radiation on people living nearby and on wildlife. 
• Hydro-Quebec is a large, state-owned corporation and is collaborating with other mega-corporations to get their way. 
• The power will just pass through New Hampshire to southern New England with little, if any, impact on high regional prices.