Public Comment Hearing
The Siting Board conducted a public comment hearing with both in-person and remote participation options on
Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Palmer High School Auditorium
4105 Main St
Palmer, MA 01069
The recording for this public comment hearing is now available on the Department's Youtube Channel.
To provide oral comments during the public comment hearing (in person or on Zoom), please send an email to Yonathan.Mengesha@mass.gov with your name, email address, and mailing address by noon, June 24, 2025. To sign up by telephone, please leave a voicemail message referencing “EFSB 24-02/D.P.U. 24-190” at (617) 305-3544 with your name, telephone number, and mailing address.
Pre-registered commenters will speak first, and other commenters afterwards.
The Siting Board also invites written comments on the Project. Written comments will be most useful to the Siting Board if submitted by Friday, July 11, 2025.
Project Information
New England Power Company d/b/a National Grid (“National Grid”) filed petitions seeking: (1) approval to construct, operate, and maintain a new overhead transmission line in Palmer, West Brookfield and Ware that will replace an existing transmission line in the same right-of-way. The Company also plans to remove the existing transmission line and to construct, reestablish and improve access routes. This work is referred to herein as the “Palmer to Ware Improvement Project” or the “Project.”
The Company owns and operates an existing transmission line, Line O15N, that extends about ten miles, from National Grid’s Palmer Substation to its Ware Substation (the “Palmer-Ware Line”). National Grid proposes to replace the Palmer-Ware Line and the transmission structures that are holding it up and then remove the old lines and structures. The Company maintains that the Project is needed because inherent design characteristics and physical deterioration of the existing Palmer-Ware Line have resulted in poor electric reliability. According to the Company, rebuilding the existing line would address the widespread damage to the existing structures, improve telecommunications between the two substations, and improve electric reliability. A general map of the Project area is shown below. An interactive map of the Project is available at the following link.
The Palmer-Ware Line traverses the towns of Ware, West Brookfield, and Palmer. Beginning at the Palmer Substation at the southern end of the line, the Palmer-Ware Line travels in a northeasterly direction, crossing U.S. Route 20, Flynt Street, Thompson Street, the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90), Smith Street, Old Warren Road, and West Ware Street for a total of 8.07 miles in Palmer. The Existing Line then crosses into Ware, continuing in a northeasterly direction across Prendiville Road twice and traveling 1.18 miles, before entering West Brookfield. In West Brookfield, it continues northeast, crossing West Main Street/MA Route 9 and traveling 0.9 miles before turning westward back into Ware. In Ware, the Existing Line travels 0.2 miles and crosses Gilbertville Road/MA Route 32 just before entering the Ware Substation.
Project Filing Description
The petition to construct the Project includes the following information: (1) a description of the Project; (2) an analysis of the need for the Project; (3) a description of the alternatives to the Project; and (4) a description of the environmental impacts of the Project.
- Company's Petition
- Application to Support Petition
- Application Appendix B (Plan Set)
All documents related filed in relation to a proceeding are posted to the DPU Fileroom. The Fileroom page for a proceeding represents the official record for that proceeding. The public can access the Fileroom page for this proceeding at the following link: EFSB 24-02 in DPU Docket Fileroom
Useful Information
EFSB Siting and Permitting Reform Updates
For more detailed information on the Siting process: Energy Facilities Siting Board Handbook (updated 2019) | Guía para fijar la ubicación de instalaciones energéticas (2019)
Contact
For further information about the proceeding, please contact the Presiding Officer at the address or telephone number below:
Connor Tarr, Presiding Officer
Energy Facilities Siting Board
One South Station
Boston, MA 02110
617-305-3625
Connor.Tarr@mass.gov