Brockton council grants three utility pole petitions for EV charger, restaurant access and switchgear repair

Brockton City Council on Monday granted three separate petitions from Massachusetts Electric Company (d/b/a National Grid) and Verizon New England to install or relocate utility poles to support an EV charger at a mall, widen a restaurant entrance on Main Street and replace rotted switchgear on Oak Street.

Calvin Fonseca, 55 Monk Street, Stoughton, identified himself as the petitioner’s representative and told the council the Westgate Drive pole is needed to power a new EV charger at the mall area. Councilor Azak asked whether the pole would be on Reynolds Memorial Highway or near a nearby business; Fonseca said it will be near Blanchard’s and that the petition lists the nearest street for locating purposes. Fonseca said scheduling would take at least a month but he could not give a precise completion date. The council granted that petition by hand vote.

Fonseca described a second petition that would move an existing pole on Main Street to widen the entrance to a new restaurant. Robert N. Fabian, electrical foreman for A Plus Electric, spoke in favor and clarified on the record that the pole is being moved 14 feet to the north. The council granted that petition by hand vote.

The third petition covered a new mid-span riser pole on Oak Street to power replacement switchgear. Fonseca said the existing switchgear was rotted and needed replacement for maintenance and safety; the council granted that petition by hand vote.

Councilors asked whether the EV chargers would be fast chargers and who would install them; Fonseca said he did not know which company would install the chargers or whether they would be fast chargers. The council closed the hearings after no members of the public spoke in opposition.