Eversource today announced the energization of the Sudbury to Hudson Transmission Reliability Project, which marks the completion of Eversource and National Grid’s Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution to strengthen the resiliency of the region’s electric transmission system against extreme weather and improve reliability for customers. Sudbury to Hudson in eastern Massachusetts was the final project completed in a suite of 50 projects included in the broader regional suite of projects, which ISO New England selected as a preferred solution to enhance regional electric reliability, increase the capacity of the system and provide more grid flexibility during emergency events. Other major projects in the solution included the Merrimack Valley Reliability Project, Woburn to Wakefield, and Mystic to Woburn.

The Sudbury to Hudson project construction included installing a new, nine-mile, 115 kV transmission line between the Eversource substation in Sudbury and the Hudson Light and Power substation in Hudson. Eversource constructed 7.6 miles of the line underground within an inactive Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) railroad corridor that passed through Sudbury, Marlborough, Stow, and Hudson—which will create a new multi-use rail trail for local communities to enjoy when completed—with the remaining 1.4 miles of the line built under the streets in Hudson. The line was energized on December 6.

“The Greater Boston and New Hampshire Solution projects are great examples of how we are continually planning, building, and delivering transmission projects that increase the reliability of the electric grid for our customers, strengthen it against climate change, and enable increased capacity to support the demands of electrification and the interconnection of more renewable energy resources,” said Eversource President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects Bill Quinlan.

The Eversource Sudbury to Hudson project team worked closely with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to achieve the dual purpose of increasing the reliability of the regional electric transmission system while advancing the statewide multi-use trail network initiatives. The path will improve bike and pedestrian safety and create regional trail connections with other walking trails in the area while preserving the historic railroad features such as town markers, mile markers, and ring posts. Three existing bridges along the MBTA right-of-way were also replaced as part of the project to facilitate community use of the rail trail. In addition, Eversource removed 3.5 acres of existing invasive plant species, enhanced existing vernal pool habitats, and installed over 2,000 woody plants within the corridor. The Massachusetts Central Rail Trail Coalition (MCRT) recognized Eversource for its work on the project and accompanying rail trail with a Golden Spike Award in late 2023.

Eversource will continue restoration efforts through early 2025 at which point the DCR will then pave and finish the rail trail. For more information on Eversource’s daily work to upgrade the transmission system, make it more resilient to extreme weather, and enable the interconnection of new renewable energy resources, please visit the transmission page of Eversource’s website.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is recognized as the #1 U.S. utility on TIME’s List of World’s Best Companies for 2024. 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 more than 10,000 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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