Crew begins laying subsea Maritime Link cable off Cape Ray

Thecompany behind the $1.7-billion Maritime Link project which will bring Muskrat Falls power to mainland Canada sayscrews have begun laying a high-voltage subsea transmission line between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

• Emera says waiting for Muskrat Falls could cost more than $500M
• N.L. Maritime Link work to resume 'as quick as possible' after contractor switch: Emera

According to a statement by EmeraNewfoundland and Labrador on Thursday, the first of two subseacablesarrived in St. John's aboard the vessel Skagerrakfrom Norway, while a second cable is expectedin mid-May from Japan.

A spokesperson for the company told CBC News that crews left Cape Ray Thursday morning, and were headed towards Point Aconi, N.S.

"The arrival of the submarine cables is the result of more than three years of dedication to safety andquality by our team," said Rick Janega, CEO of Emera. He said the project is on track to be completed later this summer.

• How do you lay a 170-km cable on the bottom of the sea? Slowly and carefully

Both cables span 170 kilometresand will be installed across the Cabot Strait, while more than 300 kilometres of overland transmission lines will be laid across the island.

According to Emera, each cable weighs 5,500 tonnes and, together weighmore than the Eiffel Tower.Theline will be the longest of its kind in North America.