National Grid to extend interstate transmission lines into Mass.

NATIONAL GRID said Thursday it will begin construction on the next stretch of the 75-mile Interstate Reliability Project transmission line in Massachusetts, following the approval of the project on May 16 by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Sitting Board.
NATIONAL GRID said Thursday it will begin construction on the next stretch of the 75-mile Interstate Reliability Project transmission line in Massachusetts, following the approval of the project on May 16 by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Sitting Board.

PROVIDENCE – National Grid announced Wednesday that it will extend its multimillion dollar Interstate Reliability Project into Massachusetts with the construction of a 15.4-mile electric transmission line in the towns of Mullbury, Sutton, Northbridge, Uxbridge and Millville.

The project is part of a 75-mile-long 345-kilovolt transmission line known as the Interstate Reliability Project planned for construction in the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island by National Grid, and in Connecticut by The Connecticut Light and Power Company.

In March, National Grid announced the construction of Rhode Island segments of the transmission line in two segments: an 18-mile route through Burrillville and North Smithfield and a second, 5-mile route running north from North Smithfield to the Massachusetts border.

The approval of the Interstate Reliability Project on May 16 by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Sitting Board constituted the final approval needed to begin construction in Massachusetts, National Grid said. The construction project will commence in June with work at the company’s Millbury substation.

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The Interstate Reliability Project is one of four New England East-West Solution projects identified by grid operator ISO New England as being critical to eliminating bottlenecks in the region’s electric transmission system and improving reliable electricity delivery. National Grid’s total investment in the project in Rhode Island and Massachusetts will be approximately $800 million.

“Investments like the NEEWS transmission projects are a perfect example of National Grid’s commitment to help design, build and operate an energy infrastructure that is responsive to 21st-century needs,” said Marcy Reed, president of National Grid in Massachusetts, in a statement. “By strengthening the network in New England, NEEWS will improve operational flexibility, reduce congestion costs and help integrate cleaner generation resources.”

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