UI Announces $208M Transmission Line Rebuild in Fairfield and Bridgeport

One of three major projects announced in 2022 totaling $560M investment in infrastructure upgrades

Orange, CT— May 25, 2022 – Today the United Illuminating Company (UI) formally announced the Fairfield to Congress Railroad Power Line Upgrade Project along the rail lines in Southport, Fairfield and Bridgeport, Connecticut. This major project is one of three infrastructure upgrade projects announced by UI this year directly aimed to improve the resiliency of the electric grid. To read more on the other projects, visit here and here.

“This project is part of our overall investments in Connecticut to upgrade our electric infrastructure and help ensure we meet the growing needs of the customers and communities we serve,” said Franklyn Reynolds, President & CEO of United Illuminating.

The project will rebuild 8.1 miles (10.8 circuit miles) of transmission lines from the Eversource-UI demarcation point in Fairfield, CT to Congress St. substation in Bridgeport, CT. Further, the project will relocate the transmission lines off the existing railroad catenary bonnets (overhead wire systems) and install them on independent monopoles with new insulators, hardware and conductor adjacent to the railroad corridor.

“Right now, our engineers are working to complete planning work for this project so we can begin construction in the third quarter of 2024. These upgrades are a critical to ensuring that the safe and reliable transmission of power is maintained for our customers throughout Fairfield County and in accordance with Federal reliability standards,” said Project Manager Hallie Rimkunas.

The 115kV transmission lines between Fairfield and Bridgeport are supported by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) owned railroad catenary structures and connected through UI-owned bonnet structures. As a result of age, asset deterioration, and increased mechanical loads, it was recommended that new 115kV transmission lines be installed on new monopoles along the CTDOT railroad corridor. These upgrades will help maintain system reliability, preserve safety within and adjacent to the right-of-way, and provide technological enhancements to legacy system equipment.

Engineering has begun and will be complete by Q1 of 2024, with construction estimated to begin in Q3 of 2024, with completion in 2029. This project will be submitted to the Connecticut Siting Council for final approval. For more information on the project contact the UI Projects Team during regular business hours at outreach@uinet.com.

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About UI: The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit uinet.com.  

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $40 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.   

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