Interstate Reliability Project completed to upgrade Southern N.E. electric system

THE ROUTE of the Interstate Reliability Project is seen here. The project, which concluded Tuesday, upgraded Southern New England’s electric system. / COURTESY NATIONAL GRID

BURRILLVILLE – It took nearly two years, three states, 18 towns, $483 million and enough wire to stretch from Providence to Durham, N.C., but Tuesday marked the completion of a major infrastructure project to upgrade Southern New England’s electric system.
The project, dubbed the “Interstate Reliability Project,” spans from Connecticut to Rhode Island and ends in Massachusetts. A new 345-kilowatt transmission line now runs along 75 miles of existing rights-of-way and is expected to improve the delivery of electricity to customers throughout the region. Connecticut-based Eversource Energy, formerly Northeast Utilities, and utility giant National Grid PLC headed the project, which runs through Burrillville and North Smithfield in Rhode Island.
“The Interstate Reliability Project improves the efficiency of the grid by eliminating system bottlenecks and improving the flow of power within our region,” said David Boguslawski, vice president of transmission strategy and operations at Eversource, in a statement. “The project also supports the region’s economic growth and environmental goals through greater access to new, more efficient and cleaner generating plants.”
The tri-state improvement project dovetails with the recently completed Rhode Island Reliability Project, which included the construction of a new transmission line that runs from North Smithfield to Warwick. The state project, completed in fall 2014, was in response to a report from the regional power regulators, ISO-New England, that found there was too much bottlenecking in Rhode Island’s grid, according to National Grid Rhode Island spokesman David D. Graves.
“There’s plenty of electricity available, the question was whether it’s getting to where it needed to go,” he said.
The project’s $483 million bill will be picked up by ratepayers throughout the three states, as is customary with all infrastructure improvement projects. But Eversource and National Grid expect the IPR to “produce millions of dollars of new, annual property tax revenues,” for the 18 towns where the transmission line runs, as property values will rise because of upgraded services. Although, it’s difficult to predict how much each municipality would receive or how often properties are reassessed.
The added capacity, however, should improve the overall electric system, helping to ensure the lights go on when customers flip the switch.
“As we look to connect new energy sources, stabilize costs for customers and maintain the reliable service needed to underpin the economy vitality of our communities and our region, a robust, resilient transmission system is a must,” said Rudy Wynter, president and chief operating officer of National Grid FERC-regulated businesses. “The completion of this project marks a major step toward achieving that goal.”

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