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Eversource describes need to replace Berlin control room with Windsor SOC for space, security and simulation training
Summary
Eversource's system operations director testified that the Berlin control room lacks ceiling height, room for modern displays and a dedicated simulator; the company plans a new Windsor system operations center with larger server rooms, simulation/training space and enhanced security features.
Eversource told the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority that its Berlin system operations control room, located in the basement of the Berlin building since 2004, lacks the physical space and infrastructure modern operators need, and that a new Windsor System Operations Center will include larger server rooms, a dedicated training simulator and enhanced physical security.
Nut graf: Director of system operations William Jelenius described the difference between a two‑decade‑old control room designed for earlier operating practices and the expectations for modern control centers: more visualized data displays, team‑based work areas and a separate server room to consolidate IT infrastructure.
Details from testimony: Jelenius said situational awareness requires display boards and visualizations that are difficult to implement in the current cubicle‑style Berlin set‑up. "The way our current control is set up, it's almost in a cubicle fashion... there's no span of control on the walls to have display boards or visuals to help the operators make assessments of the system," he said. He added that Berlin's low ceilings and limited headroom make retrofits impractical.
Planned Windsor features and disposition of Berlin facility: The Windsor SOC will include a training simulation room for realistic operator exercises, a centralized server room (moving IT away from operator consoles) and improved access controls such as a person trap to prevent tailgating. Jelenius said the Berlin facility is slated to be turned over to the gas organization; the company expects some corporate PCs to be reusable while SCADA‑specific PCs are unlikely to be repurposed beyond spare usage.
No vote recorded: The transcript records testimony and cross‑examination but no formal commission action in the excerpt. The company described operational and security drivers for the new facility and explained expected asset disposition.
Ending: Testimony provided operational context for the Windsor SOC proposal and gave regulators a record of why Berlin’s physical constraints limit modern control‑room practices.
