Regulators have given the green light for the completion of a 53-mile electricity corridor running through Maine.

The controversial New England Clean Energy Connect will run through rural northwestern Maine to deliver Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved a 50,000-acre conservation plan on Wednesday, with the line expected to begin operating by the end of the year.

Speaking with our info partners at CBS 13 news, Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn said the line will allow New England to reduce its dependence on fluctuating natural gas and oil prices.

Randy Burlingame with New England ISO, which manages New England’s power grid, said he expects the corridor to improve grid reliability.

The project, spearheaded by Central Maine Power’s parent company, has faced criticism from environmentalists for its impact on Maine’s woods.