TECHNOLOGY
INTERCONNECTED: CANADIAN AND U.S. ELECTRICITY
Doug Vine Center for Climate and Energy Solutions March 2017
The U.S. and Canadian electric power grids are connected through 37 major transmission lines from New England to the Pacific Northwest. The interconnected North American power grid provides numerous benefits for Canada and the United States, including enhanced electric reliability, security, affordability and resilience as well as increased economic benefits. The two countries have worked together to improve service through markets, international regulatory bodies and various bilateral engagements. Increasing actions by provinces, states, cities and businesses are growing demand for clean energy. Due to the comparatively clean mix of Canadian electricity, increased exports could assist the United States as well as individual states and cities in achieving their clean energy goals. Furthermore, the inherent storage capability of Canadian hydropower can help states integrate greater quantities of intermittent renewable power.
INTRODUCTION The U.S. and Canadian economies are highly integrated. safety through coordinated flood-risk management.4 In There is no better illustration of this connection New England, electricity imports from Québec and New than the North American electricity grid. Across the Brunswick contribute to lower wholesale power costs U.S.-Canadian border, 37 major (i.e., greater than 69 and deliver an annual economic benefit in the range kilovolts) two-way transmission connections imported of $103 million to $471 million.5 Despite uncertainty and exported 82.4 million megawatt-hours (MWh) around U.S. federal climate policy, states like New York of U.S. and Canadian electricity in 2016 (Figure 1), and Massachusetts are looking to Canadian hydropower enough to power 7.5 million average households.1,2,3 to help achieve their clean energy goals. Furthermore, An interconnected grid enhances system reliability, Minnesota is taking advantage of the storage capability security, affordability and resilience on both sides of the of Canadian hydropower to help it integrate greater border. In the Pacific Northwest, the integrated grid has quantities of intermittent renewable power. contributed to economic growth by delivering low-cost This report summarizes the existing electricity power to a formerly underserved region and increased relationship between Canada and the United States, FIGURE 1: Major Transmission Interconnections between Canada and the United States
British Columbia Alberta Manitoba uebec Ontario
Sas atchewan New Brunswic Nova 500 V 2 Scotia 230 V 2 345 V 2 230 V 1 500 V 1 230 V 1 230 V 65 V 1 345 V 2 230 V 3 155 V 4 450 V 1 13 V 1 69 V 3 120 V 3 69 V 2
Note that kV stands for kilovolts, therefore 500 kV means 500,000 volts. Source: National Energy Board (Canada) 2016.
including areas of international cooperation and at the federal and provincial level. Finally, the report electricity trade. Next, the report provides an overview highlights opportunities and challenges that exist for of the Canadian and U.S. power sectors, noting existing additional integration of the two systems that could assist electricity source mixes and trends. Then, the report the United States as well as individual states and cities in summarizes key Canadian climate-related policies both achieving their clean energy goals.
ELECTRICITY RELATIONSHIP Electricity systems and power markets are tightly (MISO), New York Independent System Operator integrated across the U.S.-Canadian border.6 Provincial (NYISO), Northwest Power Pool (NWPP), and the and U.S. power grids are physically interconnected. PJM Interconnection, facilitate cross-border trading. Power markets, particularly ISO New England (ISO In 2016, 23 states exported electricity from Canadian NE), the Midcontinent Independent System Operator provinces with eight states (i.e., California, Maine,
2 Center for Climate and Energy Solutions FIGURE 2: Canadian Electricity Net Exports, 1990–2016