Cutting-edge initiative will provide the region with additional electric supply and support increased electrification while strengthening the resiliency of the transmission system and helping City of Cambridge meet clean energy goals

BOSTON, Mass. (July 8, 2024) – Following the recent Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) decision approving the Greater Cambridge Energy Program (GCEP), Eversource and its local partners BXP and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority are coordinating on planning efforts to begin construction of   the first-of-its-kind transmission initiative. Innovatively designed to place a significant amount of needed infrastructure underground and out of sight, GCEP will address the increased electric demand in the region, enhance the resiliency of the transmission system and ensure a flexible grid to reliably serve customers while supporting the decarbonization and electrification goals of both the City of Cambridge and Massachusetts to lessen the impact of climate change.

Among other innovative technologies, GCEP will include Eversource's first underground substation, which will be the largest in the country at 35,000 square feet. The substation will be located 120 feet underground between Broadway and Binney Street underneath a new public park and integrated into BXP’s large mixed-use development project, the BXP Life Sciences Center, at the former Kendall Center Blue Garage site.

Additional GCEP work includes the construction of eight new 115 kV underground transmission lines housed in five new buried electrical pathways spanning 8.3 miles through portions of Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston, as well as upgrades to five substations or clean energy hubs in Cambridge, Somerville, and Allston/Brighton and the construction of 48 new distribution lines. When completed, GCEP will provide additional electric supply to customers to meet growing local demand, increase electric reliability, and enhance the resiliency of the region's grid. Additionally, it will enable customer adoption of more clean technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps and allow new clean energy projects to be interconnected to the grid to serve the region.

“The Greater Cambridge Energy Program is a prime example of how collaboration can lead to innovative transmission solutions that provide direct benefits to our customers and communities – ensuring reliability while advancing the region's clean energy future, strengthening the electric grid, and meeting decarbonization and electrification goals," said Eversource President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects Bill Quinlan. "We’re proud of our collaboration with our partners at BXP, the City of Cambridge, and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, as well as the City of Somerville and Allston/Brighton on this important project, and we look forward to our continued work together to make this first-of-its-kind transmission solution a reality for customers. We work with diverse communities across our service territory and know that it is critical to engage with all stakeholders to find new solutions to meet our customers' energy needs.”

“The City of Cambridge has greatly appreciated the thoughtfulness and thoroughness that the Energy Facilities Siting Board, Alexandria Real Estate, Boston Properties, and Eversource have committed to this critical infrastructure project,” said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. “A tremendous amount of outreach, collaboration and creativity enabled this project to move forward. Once completed, it will result in the first underground substation in Massachusetts and significantly help address Cambridge’s future energy needs.”

“We are pleased with the EFSB approval that will allow Eversource and BXP to move forward with construction of the substation and larger BXP Life Sciences Center development. This project is a true example of public and private partnership created to solve a critical community challenge,” said Bryan Koop, Executive Vice President for BXP’s Boston region.

“The Greater Cambridge Energy Program has been a tremendous public-private collaboration to plan and finance the construction of an underground electrical substation within the commercial center of Kendall Square, instead of adjacent to a residential neighborhood,” said Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Tom Evans. “This project will allow Eversource to continue to deliver reliable electricity to meet the area's growth expectations and Cambridge’s carbon neutral goal, with a facility carefully stitched into the urban fabric.  Eversource and BXP have been strong, committed partners with the City in designing a project that is responsive to our community's needs.”

Eversource is expecting to begin construction on the underground transmission lines in early 2025, with work on the underground substation in coordination with BXP’s development project anticipated to begin in early 2027. The energy company anticipates putting GCEP into service in 2029 with the energization of the substation. Later this fall, Eversource plans to host open houses for the City of Cambridge for residents to ask questions and learn about the project, its construction, and how it will impact their community.

Sustained, proactive engagement with community members has been vital in designing the GCEP to meet customers' energy needs while mitigating potential impacts on communities and the environment. Over three years, the Eversource team partnered with community leaders and organizations, hosting more than 110 meetings and participating in community events to ensure that neighborhood concerns were heard and addressed before presenting a formal project plan. As construction begins and progresses, Eversource will continue to engage with the community and provide updates via multiple channels, including email construction updates that customers can sign up for on the project’s website.

For more details on the Greater Cambridge Energy Program, visit Eversource's project website.

CONTACT:
William Hinkle
603-634-2228
william.hinkle@eversource.com

Kyle Costa
781-441-8728 
kyle.costa@eversource.com