Bethel to Norwalk 345-kV Compromise Solution Reached

The Connecticut Light and Power Company
P.O. Box 270
Hartford, CT 06141-0270
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Contacts:	Frank Poirot	Mitch Gross
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Bethel to Norwalk 345-kV Compromise Solution Reached CL&P, Towns Submit Joint Filing to Connecticut Siting Council

BERLIN, Conn., March 17, 2003 (NYSE:NU) - The Connecticut Light & Power Company (CL&P), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northeast Utilities, announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Towns of Bethel, Redding, Weston, Wilton and Norwalk regarding its application to extend the 345-kV (345,000 volts) transmission system from Bethel to Norwalk. A joint filing, submitted to the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) today, outlines details of the compromise solution.

"The Connecticut Siting Council and state legislators encouraged the parties to work together to find a common solution and that's what we did," said David H. Boguslawski, vice president, Transmission Business, Northeast Utilities. "Our joint filing clearly shows compromise on both sides. The town leaders acknowledged the importance of transmission upgrades to meet the region's growing energy needs, and we were able to develop a flexible design to meet the unique needs of each town."

The compromise solution calls for a mixture of underground and above ground transmission at a cost of approximately $185 million. More than 11 miles of underground 345-kV cable will be installed in two segments along a 20 mile route. The first segment, to be located in Bethel, will run between Whittlesey Road and the intersection of Route 58 and Hoyts Hill Road. The other will be nearly 10 miles in length, running between Archers Lane in Redding and near the intersections of Routes 7 and 33 in Wilton. The above ground transmission will vary by location along the route with construction of nearly six miles of monopoles and four miles of wooden H-frame poles.

“This solution moves Connecticut one step closer to soon having an electric system capable of efficiently moving power to where it’s needed," adds Boguslawski.

The agreement comes nearly two years after the regulatory review process began. If approved by the Connecticut Siting Council, construction is expected to begin at the end of this year with an in-service date of 2005.

The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) has been part of everyday life in Connecticut for more than 100 years, providing safe and reliable electric service to homes, neighborhoods and businesses. With more than 1.1 million customers in 149 cities and towns, CL&P is an active member in the communities it serves, offering programs in energy conservation, economic development and environmental education. CL&P is part of the Northeast Utilities System (NYSE: NU). For more information, please visit www.cl-p.com.

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