BERLIN, Conn. (November 29, 2012) – Towering more than 80 feet above ground, Connecticut Light & Power’s (CL&P’s) transmission wires carry high-voltage power across southern New England. In an effort to strengthen the region’s power grid and reliability the company will be stringing new transmission lines in Waterford, Connecticut next week. But unlike traditional cable-pulling work on the ground, these wires will be put in place using a low-flying helicopter.
“Using the helicopter reduces the amount of time needed to complete the wire-stringing process from days to hours, compared to conventional methods,” said Mark A. Smith, Lead Project Manager-Transmission Projects for CL&P.
A specially-trained pilot will thread lead lines into pulleys mounted on new transmission structures in an existing CL&P transmission right-of-way. The nylon lead line will eventually pull the new electric lines into place.
The first of two flights is scheduled for Monday, December 3, 2012, between Spithead Road and Rock Ridge Road. The second flight is scheduled for Wednesday, December 5, 2012, between Rock Ridge Road and I-95, sometime between 7am and 5pm. This schedule is weather dependent and the back-up flight dates would be the following day.
Customers with questions or concerns related to this work may call CL&P’s Transmission Information Line at 1-800-793-2202, or send an e-mail to TransmissionInfo@nu.com.