Eversource has commenced construction on the Greater Cambridge Energy Program (GCEP), a transmission initiative aimed at addressing growing electricity demand in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the surrounding areas.
The project is designed to enhance grid resilience, support electrification and decarbonisation efforts, and facilitate the integration of clean energy resources.
Developed in collaboration with BXP, community partners, and state and local officials, the programme includes the construction of the largest underground substation in the US.
Eversource chairman, president, and CEO Joe Nolan said: “Working with our partners at BXP, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and the City of Cambridge, the Greater Cambridge Energy Program is a creative solution that helps shape a more sustainable and resilient energy future for our customers in the region.
“By taking a collaborative approach with the community and local leaders, this critical energy infrastructure meets several needs for our customers and the region’s energy supply while helping to enable the clean energy transition.”
Covering 35,000ft2, the GCEP substation facility will be located 105ft below ground, between Broadway and Binney Street. It will also be integrated into BXP’s Life Sciences Center at the former Kendall Center Blue Garage site.
The GCEP initiative will also introduce five underground duct banks containing eight new 115kV underground transmission lines spanning 13.3km across Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston.
Additionally, Eversource will upgrade five substations, which are termed ‘clean energy hubs’, in Cambridge, Somerville, and the Allston/Brighton area, alongside the installation of 48 new distribution lines.
The new infrastructure is expected to support the full electrification of residential heating systems in Cambridge and displace 50% of the commercial sector’s reliance on gas.
Besides, the GCEP project aligns with Massachusetts’ climate targets by enabling greater adoption of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and other clean technologies.
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang said: “The Greater Cambridge Energy Program helps address the increased energy needs in the region, enhance the resiliency and reliability of the grid to reliably serve customers in our community, and support the decarbonisation goals of both Cambridge and the Commonwealth.”
Eversource plans to commence operations at the substation and the first transmission line by 2029, with the remaining lines phased in through 2031.
The project is expected to generate approximately 500 full-time jobs throughout its construction.
