According to United Illuminating, the new $142 million Pequonnock substation will safeguard customers from “massive” power outages, which have occurred in the past.
Hurricanes Irene and Sandy pummeled the shore with massive waves, resulting in catastrophic flooding.
Rick Torres, owner of Harborview Market, stated that many Bridgeport companies lost electricity for weeks.
According to Jim Cole of United Illuminating, the company’s new substation replaces the old Pequonnock substation, but unlike the old one, it is built farther inland and 5 feet above FEMA’s 100-year flood level, which means UI will not have to shut it down as they were forced to do after hurricanes Irene and Sandy, which left 40,000 customers without power.
“So this station is going to be resilient for the future as we go through climate change, and we may have additional storms like we had Irene and Sandy, and as you can see everything has been elevated here to a height that will protect the system from future flooding,” he said.
According to officials, the new substation only became operational this week.
According to Richard Pinto of the University of Illinois, the 5 feet of elevation will help prevent catastrophic flooding inside the structure.
UI authorities stated that the substation should be completely operating by early next year.
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