Massachusetts
Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January
The long-awaited hydropower line delivering electricity from Québec to New England is expected to be running in January after years of hurdles and delays, the company Hydro Québec stated.
“We have been actively testing the line and the transformers for the past several weeks and are making good progress,” a spokesperson for Hydro Québec said, adding the teams were actively working on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and “expect to be ready begin energy deliveries in January.”
The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, initiated nearly in 2017 under the Baker administration and under construction since 2021, is set to deliver 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Québec to New England over 20 years, becoming one of the largest sources of baseload power in the region.
Avangrid, the company behind the NECEC, announced in November it had secured the final permit to get the power line running after years of regulatory and legal hurdles. The company estimated the line would be running by the end of 2025 at the time.
The project to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to provide Massachusetts with approximately 20% of it overall electricity.
The clean energy line will deliver about $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts residents paying for electricity, including “reducing in ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year,” state officials said.
“This transmission line will deliver affordable, stable power from our partners in Canada to our residents and businesses,” Gov. Maura Healey said in November. “More energy means lower costs. The NECEC line is a key part of our all-of-the-above approach to lowering energy costs and delivering the power our economy needs.”
On average, officials estimated, residents can expect to save $18 to $20 a year over the contract term.
Avangrid said the project will cut carbon emissions by 3.6 million metric tons a year, “the equivalent of removing 700,000 cars from the road.” The hydropower source is expected to be “key to energy reliability in the winter” as demand grows, state officials said, and evening energy prices effected by the volatility of natural gas.
The line cleared a closing legal hurdle in January 2025 when the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities agreed to a settlement with electric utility companies, the AG’s office, energy department and Central Maine Power approving project costs.
The clean energy project updates come weeks after the Trump administration dealt a blow to wind power projects across the U.S., including the Vineyard Wind farm off the coast of Nantucket delivering energy in New England.
Massachusetts
Man arrested after injuring Massachusetts State trooper, K-9 in wrong-way crash in Chicopee
A man has been arrested after injuring a Massachusetts State trooper and a K-9 in a wrong-way crash in Chicopee Saturday morning.
It happened around 4 a.m. on Interstate-91. State Police said they received a report that someone was driving very fast heading south on the north side of I-91. Officers began a “rolling roadblock” in the area “with emergency lights activated, in an effort to safely stop the vehicle and protect other motorists.”
The driver swerved and struck the rear driver’s side of a K-9 cruiser. He then hit another car head-on, according to state police.
The trooper and his K-9 were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the car that was hit head-on also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a hospital.
“I want to commend the bravery and quick actions of our Troopers, whose efforts to stop this wrong-way driver likely prevented further injuries and potentially saved lives,” State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said in a statement. “These incidents demonstrate the risks our Troopers and all of law enforcement face every day on our roadways. The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to enforcing impaired driving laws and holding accountable those whose dangerous decisions put lives at risk.”
The driver, identified as 28-year-old Jose Santiago from Holyoke, Masaschusetts had minor injuries. He has been charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and other charges.
Chicopee, Massachusetts, is around five miles from Springfield and 90 miles from Boston.
An Acushnet man and a New Bedford woman are dead, and two others are injured after a crash in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, that left Route 6 completely impassable for a period of time Friday evening.
Police from Dartmouth and Westport responded just after 7:30 p.m. to 911 calls about a crash on Route 6 near the Dartmouth/Westport line, and arrived to find two vehicles were involved, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said.
A blue Toyota Camry sustained catastrophic damage in the collision, officials said. The male driver, identified as 34-year-old Tristan Bedient, and his female passenger, 51-year-old Kate Aldrich, were taken to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead shortly after.
Two people in the SAAB suffered non-life-threatening injuries, officials added.
Route 6 was closed westbound at Route 177 and eastbound at Highland Avenue. Police warned drivers to avoid the area, seek alternate routes, and expect significant traffic delays.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by Dartmouth police, Westport police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the district attorney’s office. Further information was not immediately available.
GLENS FALLS, NY (WRGB) — A Massachusetts man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he robbed two banks in separate states and tried to evade investigators by switching license plates—before evidence gathered in New York’s Capital Region helped lead authorities to him.
Joseph Sawyer is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from St. Mary’s Bank in New Hampshire and a Chase Bank in New Jersey last month. In both robberies, prosecutors say Sawyer fled in a Honda Odyssey minivan.
Prosecutors say the minivan originally had Massachusetts license plates, but Sawyer swapped them out with stolen New Jersey plates in an attempt to cover his tracks.
After the second robbery, highway cameras in Albany County captured the minivan as it tried to flee the tri-state area, prosecutors said. The FBI later tracked the vehicle to a motel near Glens Falls, where Sawyer was staying.
Prosecutors also say Sawyer’s own family helped identify him through surveillance photos, linking him to the robberies.
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