BERLIN, Conn. — July 30, 2012 — Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) will be using a helicopter to help string new high-voltage transmission lines in Bloomfield, East Granby and Suffield, Conn. Use of the helicopter will minimize impacts to the environment and reduce the amount of time needed to complete the wire-stringing process as compared to conventional ground-based cable pulling methods. The helicopter will also transport workers and their tools during the pulling process.
The helicopter crew is scheduled to begin work the week of July 30, 2012, and continue periodically through 2013. While the typical flight will last just a few hours, helicopter activity will occur sometime between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday on an existing CL&P right-of-way.
This right-of-way crosses remote rural areas as well as environmentally sensitive areas near the Farmington River. The helicopter will significantly reduce the impact of work in this unique area.
This work is part of the Greater Springfield Reliability Project (GSRP), a 39-mile transmission line upgrade between Bloomfield, Conn., and Ludlow, Mass. The project is designed to strengthen the region’s power grid, meet mandatory reliability standards, and allow power to move more freely in and around the greater Springfield and north-central Connecticut area.
For additional information on GSRP, please visit www.NEEWSprojects.com, or call 1-866-99NEEWS (1-866-996-3397).