Our Transmission Right-of-Way Reliability Program (TRRP) is a long-term vegetation maintenance initiative to improve electric system reliability and resiliency by expanding and maintaining wider transmission corridors — up to 100 feet from the outermost conductors or the easement edge, whichever is closer.

The WT-11 project will take place along an existing transmission corridor that runs approximately 29 miles from the Northfield Substation in Northfield, Massachusetts, to the Ludlow Substation in Ludlow, Massachusetts. Communities along the corridor include Amherst, Belchertown, Erving, Granby, Leverett, Ludlow, Montague, Northfield, Pelham, Shutesbury and Wendell.

Why This Project Is Needed

By reducing tree fall-in risks and managing vegetation as early successional habitat (grasses, forbs, small trees and shrubs), the vegetation management program supports improvements to the reliability of the regional electric grid, reducing outage risks-especially during severe weather-and improving safety and continuity of essential services.

What Work Is Required

The WT-11 corridor carries key high voltage transmission lines (including the 345‑kV Lines 354 and 312, and 115‑kV Line 1604). Although easements allow corridor widths of 300–500 feet, portions are currently maintained at only 125–335 feet. The project will expand maintained widths to an average of 250–500 feet, primarily by cutting incompatible trees in unmaintained areas to increase clearance from transmission lines. All work will occur within our existing legal easement.

Cyclical vegetation maintenance that already occurs within the corridor will continue as part of our normal maintenance activities.