Project Overview
Overview
Rhode Island Energy will upgrade the existing wooden poles and wires along the approximately 12.5-mile route from the Davisville Tap (near the intersection of Routes 2 and 4 in East Greenwich) to the West Kingston Substation (located on Great Neck Rd, West Kingston). This includes the replacement of 146 existing H-frame and 3-pole configurations with weathering steel structures, designed to withstand the harsh New England weather. The project also includes the installation of a new fiber optic system that will greatly improve communications between substations.
Beginning in late 2022 the project is expected to take approximately two years to complete, with the new system being placed into service in late 2024. All of the work will take place within Rhode Island Energy’s existing right-of-way (ROW), with only select access points being located off-ROW. There will be no disruption in electrical service to Rhode Island Energy customers while the work is being performed. Final restoration is expected to be complete in the spring of 2025.
To review a copy of Rhode Island Energy’s application to the Energy Facility Siting Board, please click here.
Construction Phasing
Construction of the L190 Reliability Project will take place over the course of several phases. Details about the timing of each phase by location will be communicated to those along the project route throughout the project, but the general plan includes:
Forestry Work: to prepare the ROW for construction access, the Forestry team will complete mowing and limited tree work within the boundaries of the ROW. Any forestry work that impacts vegetation outside the ROW will be coordinated with landowners prior to the work being completed.
Civil Work: During this phase, Rhode Island Energy contractors will install construction matting (either timber or composite) to protect the ground from the movement of heavy equipment, as well as environmental controls to protect sensitive areas along the route. The matting will be installed to create temporary access roads, as well as work pads around each new structure for the staging of equipment. Crews will also complete the drilling work necessary to install the new structures and pour cement footings in the locations where they are needed (many locations will have directly-embedded structures with no footing).
Electrical Work: Once the civil work is completed, the contractors will move on to installing the new towers and running the new wires. The wires will be pulled, using special equipment, from various locations along the ROW. The old wooden structures and wires will be removed following the installation of the new equipment.
Restoration: Following the installation of the new towers and wires, and the removal of the old materials, crews will shift their focus to restoring the ROW. Because the matting will have provided a high level of protection, restoration in most areas is limited to clean up and lawn/vegetation restoration as needed (most locations where matting was located will naturally restore over time). In some locations, we may need to discuss replanting of trees, typically where additional access needs are located. Our team will address these needs on a case-by-case basis with property owners as we draw closer to this phase of the work.