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New England Power wins order of conditions for pole replacements and access improvements along rights‑of‑way
Summary
The Conservation Commission granted an order of conditions enabling structure replacements and new access spurs for a 5‑mile transmission corridor between Northborough Road substation and the Sudbury Reservoir dam, with conditions on BMPs, temporary matting and contractor coordination with town trails and state agencies.
The Southborough Conservation Commission on Sept. 11 issued an order of conditions to New England Power Company authorizing selective structure replacement on an existing 115‑kV transmission corridor and limited construction of access roads and spurs inside the 100‑foot buffer zone.
Company representatives walked commissioners through a largely maintenance‑style project covering roughly five miles of existing transmission line between the Northborough Road substation and the Sudbury Reservoir dam. The plan calls for replacing wooden poles with light‑duty steel and performing in‑kind replacement of several existing steel structures at longer conductor crossings. Representatives said the core transmission work is maintenance under the Wetlands Protection Act, while new or improved access roads in buffer zones required formal review.
Since the project’s July introduction, the applicant obtained a DEP file number and addressed a third‑party peer review. The commission and applicant agreed to several administrative conditions: submittal of construction BMPs to the agent for review, coordination on timing and installation/removal of construction matting, and forwarding a temporary access permit and construction schedule when known so staff can monitor installation and restoration. The company also agreed to coordinate with the town trails committee.
Commission staff will confirm erosion‑control details and require notification when access roads and mats are installed or removed. Commissioners closed the public hearing and approved the order of conditions by roll call.
The approval allows the company to proceed after complying with the commission’s standard BMP and notification requirements; staff will monitor active work windows and the removal of temporary materials.
