Research News, June 9, 2016

The research team has been working on multiple fronts to analyze the need for the proposed Sudbury to Hudson Reliability project as well as to find viable alternatives for Eversource’s preferred route. To these ends, we have reviewed recently updated Needs Assessment Reports by the NE ISO to determine whether the “reliability need” for the Marlboro load pocket (which the Sudbury to Hudson line would serve, and identified by the ISO in 2008) continues to be relevant today. We are also reviewing ISO Needs Assessment Reports and ISO System Planning documents to determine whether transmission redundancy to Hudson had previously been identified as necessary for reliability by the ISO. We are finding encouraging information in the updated Needs Assessment Report, though some of this research is ongoing. Our findings are funneled to our attorneys through the Protect Sudbury Legal working group to best leverage our work and in an attempt to keep our legal costs as low as possible.

Our research on alternate routes has been championed by Richard Flynn with support from the research team and the broader Protect Sudbury working group. This effort has involved brainstorming alternate routes with the objective of minimizing the impact on our environment, our water supply, our wildlife habitats, the historical character of our town, and the inevitable impact on housing values. Our alternatives include only underground routes; and where not under roads, attempt to take advantage of existing clear-cut rights of way, sufficiently wide to accommodate underground transmission lines. These routes were preliminarily vetted and refined in a meeting with Sudbury DPW Director, Bill Place and will be further vetted by our attorneys and our hired engineering expert. We are confident that we have identified superior and economically competitive alternatives to the current Eversource proposal. Once thoroughly vetted, our routes will be shared with the appropriate regulators, siting authorities and select town and state representatives.