The dismantling of the former Somerset Substation on Riverside Avenue this week marked a milestone in National Grid’s commitment to increasing grid reliability in southeastern Massachusetts. Over a five-year period in the Town of Somerset, National Grid has invested $100 million to construct two new substations and make significant upgrades to related existing transmission lines and another substation.

“National Grid is pleased to announce that all components in the suite of new transmission projects in Somerset are now completed and in operation,” said Chris Kelly, Chief Operating Officer, New England Electric, for National Grid.  “These projects reflect National Grid’s commitment to ensure a reliable, resilient system that meet the needs of our customers now and in the future. A robust transmission grid will provide the backbone to deliver the clean, distributed energy future our customers and communities want, while providing the reliability needed to enable growth in the regional economy.  We thank the Town of Somerset and its citizens for their support.”

In 2015, National Grid announced plans for a new substation on Riverside Avenue to replace the Somerset Substation, which was constructed in the 1920s and contained aged equipment. The replacement substation – Pottersville Substation – is located across the street from the Somerset Substation and was completed and energized in late 2020.  

Other projects in Somerset include:

• Grand Army Substation, Lees River Avenue – A new compact-design facility, with the equipment located inside a building rather than out in the open. This allowed the substation to be built on a smaller site.

• Brayton Point Substation, Brayton Point Road – Upgrades included installation of a new transformer.

• Transmission Lines – Existing 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines between the new Pottersville and Grand Army substations, and between Grand Army and Brayton Point Substations were upgraded with new conductor (wires) and replacement of select transmission poles.

Over the past several decades, National Grid has been investing in major projects to create a reliable transmission grid to serve customers and communities across New England. These include the NEEWS suite of projects, which increased east-west power flows across New England; and the Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution, which will enhance the reliability of the transmission grid in southern New Hampshire and Greater Boston.

About National Grid

About National Grid: National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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