Unique electric infrastructure solution, including a first-of-its-kind underground electrical substation, honored for its innovative and collaborative design

BOSTON, November 22, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In recognition of its local collaboration, commitment to modernizing the electric system and support of clean energy goals, Eversource and its local partner BXP have been selected to receive a 2024 Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Annual Visionary Award for their partnership on the innovative Greater Cambridge Energy Program (GCEP), which includes the development of a first-of-its-kind underground electrical substation. The Visionary Awards & Gala took place on November 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Among other innovative technologies, GCEP will include the nation’s largest underground substation—a 35,000-square-foot facility 120 feet beneath a public green space at BXP’s Life Sciences Center in Kendall Square. It will also feature eight underground transmission lines spanning 8.3 miles across Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston, plus 48 distribution lines and significant upgrades to local substations or clean energy hubs to enhance power reliability, resilience, and support for a growing electric demand driven by the electrification of transportation and heating.

"Our dedicated employees work every day to ensure a reliable, more sustainable energy future, and we are truly honored to receive this award from the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce," said Bill Quinlan, Eversource President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects. "This recognition emphasizes the critical role of collaboration and compromise in delivering innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of the communities we serve. We’re pleased to have had the opportunity to collaborate with BXP, the City of Cambridge, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, as well as the City of Somerville and Allston/Brighton on this important project. By investing in advanced technologies and infrastructure, we aim to meet the evolving energy needs of our customers in an environmentally responsible way, creating a cleaner, more resilient, and efficient grid for the future."

The Visionary Awards recognize innovators from the business, institutional, and non-profit communities who are truly effecting change in Cambridge and beyond. This special evening is an opportunity for the Cambridge business community to celebrate these change agents and their extraordinary impact on improving the lives of others.

Additional information about the project is available on the company’s Greater Cambridge Energy Program’s web page. More information on the energy company’s year-round work to strengthen and modernize the electric system for customers can be found on the reliability page of Eversource's website.