Shock and Outrage at the SEC?

Conflicting views from Eversource

Will Abbott | February 9, 2018

Eversource/Northern Pass Transmission said that they were "shocked and outraged" by the Feb. 1, 2018 Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) decision to deny a Certificate of Site and Facility, stating that they believed "the process failed to comply with New Hampshire law..."

Not so long ago they saw things differently.

On November 2, 2017, Lee Olivier, a senior executive at Eversource, told a group of investor advisors in a quarterly earnings review conference call (a public event that was recorded) that he saw no likelihood for any further delay in the review of Northern Pass by the NH Site Evaluation Committee:     

"The SEC Chairman has been very efficient and very judicious in the process. So we don't see any delays there. A number of the intervenors had tried previous litigation, all of which have failed, we think from our long experience with the SEC process that it's, quite frankly, long. It's very judicious. It's very comprehensive. But when it's complete, it has always withstood legal challenge, and we believe so will the Presidential Permit. So we do not see delays there. So I'm very confident that we will get our decision."