Agency clears Riverton team to seek planning approval for substation and transmission-line upgrades

Seagull Economic & Redevelopment Agency commissioners voted to authorize the Riverton master developer and Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L) to file planning‑board applications for a new electrical substation on Parcel C of the Riverton site and for upgrades to an existing transmission corridor.

The action, taken after presentations and questions from developer representatives and FirstEnergy‑affiliated engineers, allows Seaport Associates LP to apply for substation foundations and site‑plan amendments for the Gateway Services District and permits JCP&L to submit plans to replace existing lattice and wooden poles with steel monopoles to support a proposed Raritan–Sayreville 115 kV transmission line. Agency counsel and JCP&L’s attorney agreed to record easement language ensuring the proposed pole locations will not block construction of the planned Main Street Bypass.

Why it matters: The Riverton redevelopment team told commissioners the project needs significantly more electricity as new leases come online, and that initial grid reservations (a 30‑megawatt load bank) will not be sufficient for long‑term buildout. The substation and the transmission‑line upgrade are meant to provide that capacity and to serve future customers in the area.

What presenters said: Jennifer Phillips Smith of Seaport Associates opened the presentation and said the substation will be required to build out Riverton and that Seaport had been working with JCP&L and FirstEnergy to find an optimal site. Mark Feta, the Riverton developer lead, told the board Bass Pro is gearing up for a late‑September to early‑October opening and reiterated that the development’s total electrical needs could exceed the current reservation as electrification and additional tenants are added.

Matthew Bursch of Dynamic Engineering described the transmission work: the existing u‑99 34.5 kV line (about 1.2 miles) would be upgraded to a 1.6‑mile 115 kV line generally following the current corridor, with roughly 23 wood poles removed and replaced by steel monopoles on concrete foundations. Bursch said the new structures would be between about 91.6 and 122.6 feet tall including foundations and that the design accounts for the future Main Street Bypass alignment so pole locations would avoid the road corridor where possible.

Commissioners’ questions and conditions: Commissioners asked for photographs and detailed pole drawings, raised concerns about the visual impact along the waterfront portion of the corridor, and asked whether the line could be put underground. Engineers said undergrounding is not feasible for the proposed transmission voltage and conductor size and that the taller poles are required to meet safety clearances and engineering standards (NESC). One commissioner pressed for written assurances that neither JCP&L nor the developer would object to future construction of the Main Street Bypass; counsel for JCP&L said the company could agree to that condition, and agency staff recommended recording the commitment in the permanent easement language rather than leaving it only in a resolution.

Formal action and next steps: After the presentations and discussion, commissioners voted (roll call) to transmit two resolutions: one authorizing JCP&L to proceed with its planning‑board submission (recorded in the public record as 2026.07.16) and one authorizing Seaport Associates to seek planning approval for the substation and Gateway Services District site‑plan amendments (2026.07.17). Agency staff and counsel agreed to follow up with an amended engineering review letter and to include the bypass protection language in the recorded easement as the application proceeds to the planning board.

The board’s approval does not authorize construction; it authorizes the applicants to file required documents with the borough planning board and to pursue necessary easement recordings and permits. The planning board will consider site‑specific design, visual mitigation, and easement terms in its review.