Eversource, the energy company formerly known as Public Service of New Hampshire, is moving ahead with plans to construct a new transmission line that will connect electrical substations in Portsmouth and Madbury and run through Durham.
The $70 million project, known as the Seacoast Reliability Project, includes a 13-mile long 115kV transmission line that extends from Madbury through Durham and Newington before connecting to a substation in Portsmouth. Approximately eight miles of the line will go through Durham.
According to the energy company, the Seacoast’s demand for electricity is growing at twice the rate of other regions in the state and is expected to represent a quarter of the state’s demand in 2020. The new line will address power needs and help prevent overloads and outages in the region. The company will submit an application to the state’s Site Evaluation Committee, which approves energy projects, this spring, and public forums will be scheduled prior to the application’s submission. Information on the project is available at bit.ly/1CJngqo. — Larry Clow