The Latest: Sununu disappointed with Northern Pass rejection

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says he is "stunned" by the decision by state regulators to reject an application for a hydropower project that would have provided clean-energy mostly to southern New England.

The Republican governor, who has long backed the project, says Thursday's decision by the Site Evaluation Committee denies the state much-needed clean energy and the jobs that would come from the project. He estimated the project would generate 1,100 megawatts of clean energy and 1,000 jobs.

The $1.6 billion plan being developed by the utility Eversource was set to bring hydropower from Canada by creating a transmission line through New Hampshire. The project had been opposed by environmentalists, businesses and property owners along the path of the project over concerns it would hurt the economy and destroy scenic views.

———

4:02 p.m.

State regulators have voted unanimously to reject an application for a controversial hydropower project that would have constructed nearly 200 miles of transmission lines across New Hampshire.

A lawyer for the Site Evaluation Committee said Thursday the committee voted 7-0 against the project over concerns about its impact on local business, tourism and development in the region, especially in the northern part of the state. The decision can be appealed.

The $1.6 billion plan was set to bring hydropower from Canada by creating a transmission line through New Hampshire for customers in southern New England. The surprising decision comes a week after the project was selected from among dozens of bids to supply renewable energy in Massachusetts. It would transmit enough hydropower for about a million homes.

Environmentalists cheered the decision. The utility behind it, Eversource, hasn't commented yet.