US energy and electric distribution company Eversource has completed the first phase of the Cape Cod Solution, one of two transmission projects currently under construction in New England that will allow for the interconnection of offshore wind. The other project is Revolution Wind, for which Eversource is also building the transmission infrastructure.
Phase I of the Cape Cod Solution in Massachusetts involves the expansion of Eversource’s West Barnstable Substation and a new transmission line that runs for approximately 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) between the Bourne Switching Station and West Barnstable Substation.
Eversource will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Bourne Substation today (22 May) to celebrate the completion of Phase I which, according to the company, helps move New England one step closer to meeting its decarbonisation goals.
The new transmission line is built with future electric needs in mind, the company says. It will initially operate at 115 kV but it has the ability to increase capacity to 345 kV for clean energy interconnection as offshore wind projects come online .
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Increasing the operating voltage of the transmission line to 345 kV, necessary for an offshore wind farm to connect to the system, is part of Phase II of the Cape Cod Solution project in Massachusetts. The work will include building additional facilities at each end of the new line at the Bourne Switching Station, located on Joint Base Cape Cod, and the West Barnstable Station.
The second phase is expected to get approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) by the end of this year. The construction work would then start in Spring 2025 and the offshore wind-ready line would go into service in 2027.
On the second New England offshore wind transmission project, the grid connection of the Revolution Wind offshore wind farm, Eversource started work last year. Once up and running, the 704 MW offshore wind farm will deliver 400 MW of power to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut, powering more than 350,000 homes across the two states.