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Residents oppose Eversource plan to enlarge Falmouth Tap substation; utility says site is optimal
Summary
Eversource presented plans to convert the Falmouth Tap switching station into a larger substation to shorten distribution lines and boost reliability. Neighbors and the Select Board pressed the company for alternatives after learning the project could require tree clearing, temporary staging and expanded equipment on a residential edge.
Eversource Energy briefed the Select Board on March 23 on its proposal to upgrade the Falmouth Tap switching station on Sam Turner Road into a bulk distribution substation, saying the change would give the upper Cape more local capacity and shorter distribution lines to improve reliability.
The company’s project team said the site is one of the few places where four high‑voltage transmission lines meet, and converting it to a substation avoids building new transmission corridors. Lisa Palone Clark, the utility’s project manager, said the work would allow power to be routed locally if an outage or equipment failure occurs on another path.
The presentation prompted hours of questions and opposition from nearby residents and Select Board members who said the draft site plan showed clearing as much as 2.7 acres of trees, large temporary construction areas and equipment placed close to homes. Resident Nathan Miller told the board the parcel has been a staging area for previous cable work and described the current plan as “a 2.6‑acre industrial substation 100 feet from multiple front yards.”
Eversource officials said they are conducting a feasibility study to push the new equipment farther from the road and reduce tree removal. John Ziko, a transmission engineer for the company, said the temporary construction footprint is needed to safely cut over four transmission lines into a temporary facility while crews rebuild the station in stages. Project engagement lead Steven Dudek said the company has held an open house and will take written public comments and one‑on‑one meetings before the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) hearing scheduled for May 14, 2026.
Select Board members pressed the company for alternatives — including upgrades to nearby substations or locating new equipment on a larger parcel farther from houses — and for commitments to minimize tree removal and to fund visual buffering. Town attorney and DPW staff urged Eversource to provide a revised site layout and an explicit accounting of trees and staging areas before the EFSB hearing. Eversource said it is working on moving the station back within the existing right of way and hopes to present revised plans ahead of the EFSB public hearing.
The board did not take a vote but directed staff to continue seeking clarifications and to explore whether the town should formally participate in review before the EFSB. The utility warned that some temporary work must occur near the existing switching equipment so crews can maintain safety and service during the multi‑stage rebuild.
What’s next: Eversource will complete a feasibility study on siting alternatives, continue public outreach and present updates at town meetings and at the May 14 EFSB public hearing. Residents who want updates can sign up on Eversource’s project web page or contact the company’s community engagement team.
