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Greater Cambridge Energy Program (GCEP)

Why Are We Doing This Project?

The Greater Cambridge area is experiencing a surge of new residential and commercial development that, along with goals of reduction of fossil fuels in new buildings and electrification, is generating a growing demand for power.

This first-of-its-kind transmission initiative is innovatively designed to place a significant amount of needed infrastructure underground and out of sight, becoming the largest underground substation in the country at 35,000 square feet.

This project will address the increased electric demand in the region, enhance the resiliency of the transmission system and ensure a flexible grid to reliably serve customers while supporting the decarbonization and electrification goals of both the City of Cambridge and Massachusetts to lessen the impact of climate change. 

 

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Where Is This Work Being Done?

The new underground substation will be located between Broadway and Binney Street in Kendall Square and will be integrated into a large mixed-use development project at the former Kendall Center Blue Garage site. 

This project will include five underground duct banks housing eight new 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. The transmission routes will span Boston (Allston/Brighton), Cambridge, and Somerville interconnecting to existing substations in these communities.

A partnership spearheaded by City of Cambridge officials, Eversource and BXP yielded this collaborative effort to uniquely locate the substation underground - a first of its kind in the country. Where there was once a parking garage above ground, there will be an open and accessible outdoor public community space.

EFSB approved routes:


Traffic management

Working in consultation with city officials, we are developing Traffic Management Plans (TMPs) for construction of the project. This information is posted in compliance with Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) approval, Condition G.

Final plans for specific project areas will be posted as they become available. All TMPs are subject to change and may be updated. Todos los archivos están en formato PDF. 

When Is The Work Being Done?

  • File siting petition with the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB): March 10, 2022 (Initial Petition, Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3)
  • EFSB public hearing: June 28, 2022, November 10, 2022
  • Final decision from the EFSB: June 28, 2024
  • Start of construction: January 28, 2025
  • Estimated in-service dates: Q1 2029*
  • Construction completed: 2031*

*Dates subject to change

Additional information can be found on the Siting Board's website and on our project fact sheet. 

    Construction Updates

    We're committed to keeping neighbors, businesses and community members informed on project activities during construction. We broke ground on the project in January 2025, launching construction on this first-of-its-kind, 35,000-square-foot underground substation. Watch the full groundbreaking ceremony.

    Join our email list to receive regular updates like the ones below. 

    Cambridge

    Week of July 13

    Broadway

    • Crews continue installation of transmission line conduit within and beyond the new substation site at 121 Broadway. This activity is being done off the roadway, progressing towards Third Street, Monday through Saturday.

    Binney Street

    • Crews are installing manholes and duct bank associated with electric distribution line work on Binney Street, between Sixth Street and Fulkerson Street. Work activities will require a lane shift, and two lanes of travel will be maintained.
    • Crews continue duct bank and manhole installation associated with electric distribution line work on Binney Street, between Third Street and Sixth Street. This will continue for several months progressing towards Galileo Galilei Way. 

    Galileo Galilei Way

    • Crews are excavating to install underground transmission duct bank spanning Broadway to Main Street. This work will be performed utilizing lane restrictions. Access to nearby businesses will be maintained.

    Main Street

    • On Monday, July 13, crews will resume duct bank installation between Galileo Galieli Way and Ames Street to support distribution line work. Lane restrictions will be necessary to complete this activity. This work is anticipated to continue Monday through Saturday for approximately one week. 

    Second Street

    • Crews continue excavating to support the installation of underground duct bank south of Linskey Way and crossing through Athenaeum Street. This work will occur Monday through Friday, utilizing temporary detours. Delivery access to nearby loading docks will be maintained.  

    Ames Street

    • Excavation activities are ongoing to support the installation of underground duct bank between Memorial Drive and Main Street. This has necessitated permanent lane closures and detours on Ames Street throughout the duration of construction.
    • The project has implemented a permanent southbound traffic detour on Ames Street between Main Street and Memorial Drive. Motorists should follow detour signage. Northbound traffic will be maintained seven days a week, 24 hours a day, between Amherst Street and Main Street. 
    • Associated with the southbound traffic detour, cyclist and pedestrian traffic has shifted from the east side of the road to the west side of the road between Memorial Drive and Main Street.

        Memorial Drive / Massachusetts Avenue

        • Daytime crews continue connecting duct bank to recently installed underground vaults (manholes) on Memorial Drive progressing in multiple locations from Ames Street to MIT New House and Amesbury Street. This work will take place between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lane restrictions will be in place.
        • Nighttime crews continue excavation at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Ames Street to install underground duct bank. In addition, nighttime crews are working within the ramps to and from Massachusetts Avenue at Memorial Drive. Nighttime work will occur between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday evenings through Friday mornings.
        • Crews will be working within a permanent work zone at approximately 750 Memorial Drive to support the installation an underground vault (manhole). The permanent work zone will be in place 24 hours per day, with excavation work taking place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The vault itself will be set in the evening hours. Lane restrictions will be in place.
        • Starting the week of July 13, crews will conduct field tests, or test pits, between Brookline Street and Magazine Street. Steel road plates may be used to safely secure the roadway after each shift. Lane restrictions will be necessary, and clear signage will be posted to direct motorists and pedestrians.

          Work hours and traffic management

          • Approved construction hours in Cambridge are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Currently, there is Saturday work occurring at 121 Broadway between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Binney Street between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Nighttime work on Memorial Drive will occur between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am Sunday evenings through Friday mornings.
          • Occasional activities may be performed beyond these hours or on weekends based on approval from local officials.
          • Construction activities will generally be done utilizing lane restrictions or alternating lane traffic patterns. If detours are necessary, clear signage will be posted to direct motorists and cyclists.
          • Southbound traffic on Ames Street will be detoured at Main Street to Wadsworth Street. Ames Street will remain open to northbound traffic beyond Amherst Street. The detour will be implemented 24 hours a day.
          • Project activities necessitate a permanent work zone setup and road closure on Ames Street between Memorial Drive and Amherst Street. Vehicles are being detoured from Memorial Drive to Wadsworth Street and Amherst Street to reconnect with Ames Street (northbound). Bike lanes will remain open.

          Refer to the traffic management section to see traffic reconfiguration plans.

          Boston

          Week of July 13

            There are no work activities in Boston at this time.

              Somerville

              Week of July 13

              Charlestown Street/Charlestown Place

              • Crews are excavating to install transmission duct bank on Charlestown Street between Allen Street and Linden Street. Charlestown Street will be closed between Allen Street and Linden Street, and resident access will be maintained.

              Community Outreach

              We're committed to continuing our collaborative working partnership with each local community, municipal leaders and other interested stakeholders.

              Our public outreach efforts began in 2019 and we held our first public open house in 2021. We will continue to engage and solicit feedback from a diverse cross-section of neighborhoods that the project will traverse.

              City officials, residents, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders will be kept informed about project happenings and activities through municipal briefings, mailings, virtual meetings, in-person meetings, constant contact and door-to-door outreach. 

              Past outreach efforts

              All files are in PDF format unless otherwise noted.

              Information Available in Additional Languages

              Español (Spanish)

              Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole)

              Português (Portuguese)

               

              中文（普通话）(Chinese Mandarin)

               

              Have Questions?

              Keeping the lines of communication open is an important part of our work in your community.

              For more information about this project, please call the project information hotline at 1-833-836-0302 or email ProjectInfoMA@eversource.com.