Project Overview

The Acushnet to Fall River Reliability Project is one of several planned infrastructure upgrades in southeast Massachusetts needed to support the growing transmission needs of the area well into the future.

The Acushnet to Fall River Reliability Project is a joint project of National Grid and Eversource.

The proposed overhead approximately 12.1-mile, 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission line will be constructed in an existing transmission right-of-way, with approximately 7.9 miles located in Acushnet, Dartmouth and New Bedford, MA (Eversource Energy) and approximately 4.2 miles in Fall River, MA (National Grid). The new line begins at the Industrial Park Tap in Acushnet, MA and terminates at the Bell Rock Substation in Fall River, MA.

To learn more about the Eversource portion of this project, please visit their Acushnet to Fall River Reliability Project webpage.

MEPA SEIR Filing

National Grid and Eversource (collectively, the Companies) have submitted a Single Environmental Impact Report for the AFRRP located in the municipalities of Acushnet, New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fall River. The SEIR responds to the December 28, 2018 Certificate of the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Certificate) on the Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) for the Project (EEA No. 15941).

The SEIR was prepared in accordance with the Secretary’s Certificate on the EENF and in compliance with 301 CMR 11.07(6) of the MEPA regulations. The SEIR provides a summary of minor project modifications made since the filing of the EENF, and addresses the items scoped in the Secretary’s Certificate, including responding to comments received from parties who commented on the EENF.

To request translated versions of this SEIR or an sections of the document please contact National Grid by calling (833) 233-7277 or reach out via email at info@southcoastreliabilityprojects.com.

Filings:

• SEIR Certificate
• SEIR Addendum 08/16/2023
• SEIR addendum
• MEPA SEIR Filing Narrative
• APPENDIX A - EENF CERTIFICATE AND AGENCY COMMENT LETTERS
• APPENDIX B - PROJECT FIGURES
• APPENDIX C - ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS
• APPENDIX D - WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATIONS
• APPENDIX E - DRAFT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN
• APPENDIX F - RMAT ANALYSIS
• APPENDIX G - EJ SCREEN REPORT
• APPENDIX H - CIRCULATION LIST

Department of Public Utilities (DPU)

National Grid and Eversource filed an application with the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) and the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in December of 2021 to seek approval for this upcoming Project. Through the application process members of the public and all interested parties will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments on the proposed project through an EFSB-sponsored public comment hearing.

The Siting Board conducted a remote public comment hearing regarding the Project using Zoom video conferencing April 25, 2022