State Sen. Jake Oliveira
Reminder Publishing file photo
Nearly a dozen Massachusetts legislators recently traveled to Canada to strengthen the state’s relationship with Quebec and work toward a partnership to bring the province’s abundant hydroelectric power to Bay Staters.
State Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow) and 10 other legislators from across the state made the trek, driving five hours or more to Montreal before taking a three-hour flight to the Robert-Bourassa hydro-electric power station, near James Bay, Quebec. The station is just one owned by Hydro-Québec, a utility established by the government of Quebec Province in 1944 and expanded in the decades since then. Oliveira described the trip as a “fact-finding mission” to further explore hydroelectricity as a solution to Massachusetts energy woes.
The legislators toured the facility, which Oliveira described as “probably one of the most impressive engi neering feats I’ve ever seen.” Located 300-feet below ground, dammed water turns massive turbines, creating electric energy.
“There’s so much water up there,” Oliveira said, adding that James Bay “makes the Quabbin [Reservoir] look like a small pond.” Quebec Province contains 40% of Canada’s freshwater reserves.
Since the 1980s, Hydro-Québec has been selling power to states in the Northeast. According to Gov. Maura Healey’s administration, up to 10% of New England’s electricity is imported from Canada. In a partnership with the state, the electricity generated by the power stations near James Bay would travel along the existing transmission lines in the province, through Vermont’s grid and connect to the electric grid in Massachusetts, Oliveira explained. Hydro-Québec supply 9.45 terawatt hours per year to the state over a 20‑year period.
In the past, a substantial amount of energy would be lost when transmitting electricity over such a distance, but Oliveira said the technology has improved to the point that the line would lose just 4% of the energy produced.
“This is all in response to what I’m hearing from my constituents and what I’ve experienced myself,” Oliveira said of the increased cost of electricity. In November of 2024, the average electricity rate in Massachusetts was 30.28 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to the national average of 17.01 cents/kWh. Oliveira said the cost of electricity is directly related to rising oil and natural gas prices. Sixty-three percent of Massachusetts’ in-state electricity in 2023 was generated using natural gas.
Aside from saving money for residents, hydroelectricity is cleaner than power created by burning natural gas. Because the water used to generate the electricity is returned to the river system, the process is sustainable and relatively carbon neutral. Using cleaner energy would further Massachusetts climate goals, including the achievement of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The legislators’ trip was not the first step in exploring the partnership. In September 2024, Healey hosted the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Conference. Oliveira said she spoke with Quebec Province Premier François Legault about increasing electricity transmission to Massachusetts. Oliveira said both Healey and her predecessor, Charlie Baker, have made increased energy capacity a priority.
The trip to Quebec was arranged before President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, but Oliveira said the issue was not far from people’s minds.
“Our neighbors to the north [were] gracious hosts,” Oliveira said, but “there’s a lot of fear going on” due to uncertainty created by the multiple starts and stops on tariff implementation. “The special relationship with our closest ally is very important. Canada is not going to want to invest in transmission lines if they think they are going to face tariffs from the Trump administration.” After years of laying the groundwork for this energy partnership, Oliveira said federal tariffs might “throw that out the window.”
