Windland Power presents 61-mile transmission refurbishment; commission asks for more detail and continues review

BSC Group, representing Windland Power Company, presented plans on March 10 for a large‑scale refurbishment of the A1/B2 transmission line that crosses Gardner, a project the presenter said extends 61 miles in total and about 5.22 miles through Gardner.

Presenter Theresa Provante outlined the scope: replacing older lattice towers with steel monopole structures, improving right‑of‑way clearances (about 10 additional feet of canopy clearance proposed in places), constructing work pads and temporary access pads, and performing phased construction starting in 2026. The line currently operates at 69 kV and the design will accommodate potential future 115 kV operations.

Why it matters: The work intersects forested habitat, municipal conservation land and water resources including Curly Brook Reservoir, Bailie Brook and Pearlie Brook. The filing shows work inside and near wetlands and buffer zones; DEP is reviewing the project’s 401 water quality certification, and the Army Corps and other agencies have pending or anticipated permit coordination.

Commissioners and members of the public raised several technical concerns: the extent of temporary impacts in wetland areas (the presenter identified roughly 517–650 square feet of wetland conversion in one replication area on the plans), the details and timing of access improvements and matting removal, and the construction sequence for racking in the new line and removing old towers. The presenter said the work will be accomplished in segments and that old structures will be removed as part of the same construction sequence once the new circuits are energized and operations allow racking out.

The DEP review letter had recently been issued and asked for additional groundwater observations in a bouldery area and other technical clarifications. Commissioners noted the volume of material and complexity of the filing and discussed whether to commission a third‑party review; they also asked the applicant to provide additional detail on BMPs and on the sequence for removing old towers from wetland areas.

Commission action: The commission voted to continue the Windland Power notice of intent to the March 24 meeting to allow time for the DEP comments to be reviewed and for the applicant to provide supplemental materials; commissioners discussed securing a third‑party review given the project’s scale and duration.

Next steps: Applicant to submit supplemental information requested by DEP and the commission; commission staff will consider whether an independent technical review is warranted before the next hearing.