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34
NEEWS: The Interstate Reliability Project (IRP), the second project within the NEEWS family of projects, was fully energized on December 18,
2015. The project involved CL&P’s construction of an approximately 40-mile, 345-kV overhead line from Lebanon, Connecticut to the Connecticut-
Rhode Island border where it connects to transmission enhancements constructed by National Grid in Rhode Island. IRP was placed in service in
December 2015 at a final cost to CL&P of $192.6 million. Through December 31, 2015, CL&P and WMECO capitalized $377.9 million and $570.6
million, respectively, in costs associated with NEEWS.
GHCC: The Greater Hartford Central Connecticut (GHCC) solutions are comprised of 27 projects and are expected to cost approximately $350
million and be placed in service from 2016 through 2018. ISO-NE posted the final Solutions Study for GHCC in late February 2015 and approved
our Proposed Plan Applications on April 16, 2015. Through December 31, 2015, we have filed siting applications for five projects all of which have
been approved by the Connecticut Siting Council. During 2016, fifteen projects are expected to be in active construction, and three additional siting
applications are expected to be filed. All GHCC projects are expected to be completed by late 2018. As of December 31, 2015, CL&P had
capitalized $50.6 million in costs associated with GHCC.
Northern Pass: Northern Pass is Eversource’s planned HVDC transmission line from the Québec-New Hampshire border to Franklin, New
Hampshire and an associated alternating current radial transmission line between Franklin and Deerfield, New Hampshire. Northern Pass will
interconnect at the Québec-New Hampshire border with a planned HQ HVDC transmission line. On July 21, 2015, the DOE issued the draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Northern Pass representing a key milestone in the permitting process. On August 18, 2015, a revised
route was announced with an additional 52 miles of the route underground in and around the White Mountain National Forest region. As a result, the
NPT project cost estimate increased from $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion. Concurrently, NPT announced the Forward NH Plan, which is a commitment
to allocate $200 million to projects associated with economic development, community betterment, and clean energy innovations to benefit the state
of New Hampshire. This commitment is contingent upon the Northern Pass transmission line going into commercial operation.
On October 19, 2015, NPT filed its NH SEC application, which was accepted as complete by the NH SEC on December 18, 2015, allowing the
formal siting process to move forward. In response to requests by the New Hampshire congressional delegation, the DOE announced that it would
issue a supplement to the draft EIS. Public hearings on the draft EIS will be held in March 2016. The DOE has asked for comments by April 4,
2016. The project is expected to be operational in the first half of 2019. On January 28, 2016, NPT bid into the three-state Clean Energy RFP
process. For further information on the RFP process, see “Regulatory Developments and Rate Matters – General – Clean Energy RFP” in this
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations.
Clean Energy Connect: The Clean Energy Connect project is a planned transmission, wind and hydro generation project that we plan to co-develop
with experienced renewable generation companies. On January 28, 2016, the Clean Energy Connect project was bid into the three-state Clean
Energy RFP process. Our investment, should the Clean Energy Connect Project be selected in the RFP process, is currently estimated to be at least
$400 million, and would involve the construction of a new 25-mile, 345kV transmission line with a 600 MW capacity from western Massachusetts to
eastern New York.
Greater Boston Reliability Solutions: In February 2015, ISO-NE selected Eversource’s and National Grid’s proposed Greater Boston and New
Hampshire Solution (Solution) to satisfy the requirements identified in the Greater Boston study. The Solution consists of a portfolio of electric
transmission upgrades straddling southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts in the Merrimack Valley and continuing into the greater
Boston metropolitan area. We are pursuing the necessary regulatory approvals and have filed several siting applications in Massachusetts and New
Hampshire. We estimate our portion of the investment in the Solution will be $544 million.