Part of the Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution, the Woburn to Wakefield Project bolsters resiliency of regional transmission system and reliability for customers

National Grid and Eversource today announced the completion of the Woburn to Wakefield Transmission Line Project, bolstering the backbone of the region’s electric transmission grid, making the system more resilient to extreme weather, and improving reliability for customers. The project was one of several included in the Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution, which ISO New England selected as a preferred solution to enhance regional electric reliability.

The Woburn to Wakefield project included upgrades to Eversource’s Woburn substation and National Grid’s Wakefield Junction substation and the construction of a new 8.7-mile, 345 kV underground transmission line between them. The line passes through Stoneham, Wakefield, Winchester and Woburn. Eversource built a new line from the Woburn substation through Woburn, Winchester, and Stoneham, while National Grid completed construction from the Stoneham/Wakefield border to the Wakefield Junction substation. Close coordination with the communities of Stoneham, Wakefield, Winchester, and Woburn was critical throughout the process.

Construction began in the summer of 2018, with National Grid completing its portion of the project, burying the transmission cable under streets in Wakefield in the fall of 2023. Eversource completed its portion in March 2024, and the new transmission line was energized and put into service on March 25.

“We are thrilled to bring this project into service and ensure greater electric reliability in the region,” said Nicola Medalova, Chief Operating Officer of National Grid Electric in New England. “This project was not only the most cost-effective solution to improve system reliability, it also minimized environmental impacts by working within existing rights-of-way and roadways. It will also support the current and future economic growth in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We are deeply appreciative of the stakeholders who helped us complete this project.” 

“A modern transmission system that is more resilient to issues caused by climate change like increasing extreme weather is critical to ensuring reliability for customers, spurring economic development, facilitating the interconnection of more clean energy resources, and achieving decarbonization goals,” said Eversource President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects Bill Quinlan. “The completion of this project took significant collaboration and buy-in from a diverse group of stakeholders. We’re proud to announce with our partners at National Grid that it is now in service and delivering its benefits to customers.”

The Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution comprises several projects that address potential reliability problems in the region identified by ISO New England, improve the region’s power system, and help meet customer demand for power. In addition to the Woburn to Wakefield project, projects completed in the Solution include the Merrimack Valley Reliability Project and the Seacoast Reliability Project. The Solution is expected to be fully completed later this year when Eversource’s Sudbury to Hudson Transmission Reliability Project is placed into service.

Multiple stakeholders provided critical assistance through the development and construction of the project, including police, fire, and public works departments in all four communities, the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department, and the MBTA.

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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 and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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About Eversource

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2024 and recognized as a Five-Year Champion, appearing in every edition of the list. Celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to 1.8 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.47 million electric customers in 140 communities, 639,000 gas customers in 117 communities, and 11,500 water customers in five communities. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,900 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.

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The above press release was submitted to us by National Grid.