Why Are We Doing This Project?

The Greater Cambridge area is experiencing a surge of new residential and commercial development that, along with goals of reduction of fossil fuels in new buildings and electrification, is generating a growing demand for power.

This first-of-its-kind transmission initiative is innovatively designed to place a significant amount of needed infrastructure underground and out of sight, becoming the largest underground substation in the country at 35,000 square feet.

This project 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.

Where Is This Work Being Done?

The new underground substation will be located between Broadway and Binney Street in Kendall Square and will be integrated into a large mixed-use development project at the former Kendall Center Blue Garage site. This project will include five underground duct banks housing eight new 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. The transmission routes will span Boston (Allston/Brighton), Cambridge, and Somerville interconnecting to existing substations in these communities.

A partnership spearheaded by City of Cambridge officials, Eversource and BXP yielded this collaborative effort to uniquely locate the substation underground — a first of its kind in the country. Where there was once a parking garage above ground, there will be an open and accessible outdoor public community space.

Diagram of the underground substation

EFSB approved routes:

When Is The Work Being Done?

• File siting petition with the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB): March 10, 2022 (Initial Petition, Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3)
• EFSB public hearing: June 28, 2022, November 10, 2022
• Final decision from the EFSB: June 28, 2024
• Start of construction: Q1 2025*
• Estimated in-service dates: Q1 2029*
• Construction completed: 2031*

*Dates subject to change

Additional information can be found on the Siting Board's website and on our project fact sheet. 

Construction Updates

We're committed to keeping neighbors, businesses and community members informed on project activities during construction. You can sign up to receive email updates like the ones below:

• June Project Update
• April Project Update
• March Project Update

Community Outreach

We're committed to continuing our collaborative working partnership with each local community, municipal leaders and other interested stakeholders.

Our public outreach efforts began in 2019 and we held our first public open house in 2021. We will continue to engage and solicit feedback from a diverse cross-section of neighborhoods that the project will traverse.

City officials, residents, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders will be kept informed about project happenings and activities through municipal briefings, mailings, virtual meetings, in-person meetings, constant contact and door-to-door outreach. 

Have Questions?

Keeping the lines of communication open is an important part of our work in your community.

For more information about this project, please call the project information hotline at 1-833-836-0302 or email ProjectInfoMA@eversource.com.