Northeast America (NEA) Electricity Profile: Proposal of a Free Trade Area

The government of Quebec should formally propose to the governments of neighboring American states (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT, NJ, NY, PA, IL, IN, MI, OH, WI, DE, MD, WV, KY) and the provinces of eastern Canada (NL, NS, NB, ON) an integrated common market in electricity with appropriate commonly owned and shared interconnections and regulatory institutions allowing effective, efficient, transparent and fluid exchanges. The important technological complementarities between the regional production capacities and technologies and the high value added of integration, in particular with the massive arrival of renewable but intermittent energies, are likely to create a win-win situation for all participants. But the game is not only complex, but also demands from the regional leaders, Premiers and Governors, a long-term vision based on strategic complementarities and open competition. Major enabling features revolve around opening the ownership structure of regional producers, integrating the independent system operators (ISO), implementing appropriate mechanisms to adequately face the “not in my backyard (NIMBY)” syndrome.

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