Emera Newfoundland & Labrador listens to community in developing the Maritime Link project Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Fall 2013 – 11 ATLANTIC CANADA Emera Newfoundland & Labrador, a subsidiary of Emera Inc., is working to harness the clean, renewable and reliable energy potential of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its most re- cent effort is the Maritime Link project. The link, a 500 MW (megawatt) high voltage direct cur- rent (HVdc) transmission line between Nova Scotia and New- foundland and Labrador, will include two 180 km. subsea cables, with almost 50 km. of overland transmission in Nova Scotia and close to 300 km. across Newfoundland. Emera president Rick Janega says the project grew out of a federal government mandate for Nova Scotia to reduce its coal fuel generation, which had been 70 per cent of total consumption. “Over the past few years Nova Scotia has built wind farms and introduced biomass but we needed more capacity and something more predictable.” That need for predictability will be served through a col- laborative effort with Nalcor Energy and its Lower Churchill project to capture hydroelectric power from Muskrat Falls. Janega says Lower Churchill contains the largest un- tapped energy opportunity in North America and represents just one of Newfoundland’s resources that has remained un- tapped until now. The Maritime Link will provide Nova Scotia with the reliable, stable and renewable energy it needs. “For the first time Nova Scotia will break its position at the end of the energy line,” he said. “The province will not only have access to the energy it needs but it will be in a po- sition to achieve benefits from bringing any surplus energy to market.” The project’s consumer benefits have been enhanced by a federal government loan guarantee, which will reduce bor- rowing costs, therefore also reducing the project’s overall costs. Janega says the highest priority on this complex project has been stakeholder relations including open and free com- munication with fisher harvesters, aboriginal groups, land owners and the general public. “Well ahead of even filing the project we started our early outreach and education processes,” he said. “These included working groups to lis- ten to and address concerns in a real and tangible way.” Among these, plans were put into place to minimize the project’s construction impact on the fishing season and any long-term impact. Horizontal directional drilling methods were implemented to get work 1 km. offshore. Landowner concerns resulted in a plan to minimize new rights of way by building the new power lines near existing lines. Cape Breton and Newfoundland’s strong and skilled workforce will provide the needed local manpower. Janega says the partnership between Emera and Nalcor will last for decades, supporting energy initiatives in the fu- ture. For more information about Emera Newfoundland & Labrador, visit emeranl.com.