BERLIN, Conn. (February 7, 2014) – Connecticut Light & Power will use a helicopter flying more than 80 feet above ground, to pull transmission lines through new transmission structures in Middlebury this weekend. The low-flying helicopter will carry new lines over a busy interstate highway corridor (I-84) on Saturday and Sunday, February 8th and 9th to minimize traffic impacts during the weekday commute.
“This technology allows us to do critical work to strengthen the electric grid without disrupting travelers on I-84 or service to homes and businesses in the area,” said Laurie Foley, Vice President of Transmission Projects, Engineering & Maintenance for Northeast Utilities, parent company of CL&P. “Using the helicopter reduces the amount of time needed to complete the wire-stringing process from days to hours, compared to conventional methods.”
Once the lines are pulled into the new structures, they will be joined together using imploding connector technology, which provides quicker, stronger, and more electrically efficient connections over conventional connector methods. This phase of the work is scheduled from Monday, February 10th to Saturday, February 15th, between 9 a.m. and 3p.m., weather permitting. This work will not interrupt electric service to CL&P customers.
The imploding connector detonations create a sound that is similar to the final aerial burst of a commercial fireworks display. The process is safe and has been approved by federal, state and local officials.
This work is part of CL&P’s 1990 Line Project, an important transmission upgrade that began last year to replace a row of older steel transmission towers with new, sleeker-looking, monopole structures on the existing 21-mile right-of-way from the Stevenson Dam in Monroe through the towns of Oxford, Middlebury, Waterbury and Watertown. This project is expected to be completed later this year.
To preview the work, please go to www.transmission-nu.com, click on Project Information for Customers and click on Technical Innovations.
Customers with questions regarding this work may call CL&P’s Transmission Information Line at 1-800-793-2202, or send an e-mail to TransmissionInfo@nu.com.