Project Overview
Fall River & Somerset, MA
N12/M13 Double Circuit Tower Separation Project
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The N12/M13 Double Circuit Tower Separation 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 transmission grid serves as the backbone of our electric system and is vital to our region's safety, security, and economic prosperity.
The N12/M13 Double Circuit Tower Separation Project is a proposed reliability project to separate two transmission lines currently carried on one set of transmission structures.
Separating the lines will reduce the chances of an outage affecting both lines. The wires will also be upgraded to support additional electric current.
The 1.8-mile segment of overhead power lines to be reconstructed begins on the west shore of the Taunton River in Somerset (Riverside Avenue at Pottersville Substation), crosses the river to Fall River, and continues east in an existing transmission corridor to the Sykes Road Substation.
The design and permitting of the proposed project are ongoing, with construction anticipated to start in early-2028.
Department of Public Utilities (DPU)
National Grid filed an application with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in August 2022 seeking approval for the project. Through the application process members of the public and all interested parties had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments on the project through the DPU-sponsored public comment hearing conducted remotely on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
In February 2026, the DPU issued its Order approving the project. We continue to work with federal, state, and local agencies to confirm the project will be constructed and operated in compliance with applicable standards.
Project Benefits
Stronger Electrical SystemThe N12/M13 Double Circuit Tower Separation Project and other planned electrical infrastructure upgrades will meet the growing transmission needs of the South Coast area.
Economic BenefitsThe N12/M13 Double Circuit Tower Separation Project will result in additional tax revenue to the City of Fall River and the Town of Somerset beginning the first year after the transmission lines are in service.
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