Massachusetts-based utility NSTAR Electric says it will soon begin constructing a new 345 kV transmission line to help bolster the reliability of the electric grid serving southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.
Construction for the 26-mile-long project from Carver to West Barnstable on Cape Cod is set to start in two weeks and is slated for completion next summer. NSTAR says the $106 million project will also provide economic and environmental benefits by reducing the area's reliance on fossil-fueled power plants.
"This is a major electricity reliability project for the southeastern part of our state that will provide an enhancement of significance not seen in decades," says Werner Schweiger, president of NSTAR Electric. "When complete, the new transmission line will provide greater access to available power and an additional redundancy option in the event of an issue affecting the existing lines."
Other highlights of the project include building new transmission towers, installing 18 miles of new high-voltage electric lines and placing existing lines onto their own structures to further enhance reliability.
