CHESHIRE, Mass. — National Grid plans to set six new utility poles with corresponding equipment on Stewart White Road and upgrade the voltage line in the area.

 

National Grid representative Diane Clowes told the Board of Selectmen last Tuesday during a public hearing about the upgrade plans for Stewart White Road/Savoy Road area.

 

She said the utility wants to "re-feed" 12 meters on Stewart White Road and Savoy Road that are currently pulling power from a right of way at the intersection of Fales Road and Savoy Road that is in bad shape.

 

"I think it has been there for a hundred years, and we are looking to get out of that right away," Clowes said. "It is in bad shape, and it's very difficult to work with in the winter." 

 

These six poles will "fill in" and allow National Grid to refeed from Adams so it can bring in a higher voltage.

 

Clowes added that the area from 128 to 140 Savoy Road is also a "step-down" area that cannot handle the additional load so these poles will be converted so they can handle more power. 

 

"Connecting back into Adams will allow a larger voltage so it an improvement in that way also," she said.

 

Department of Public Works Director Peter LeFebvre asked that the poles be moved as far away from the road as possible to accommodate plowing.

 

"There are a lot of snow drifts in that area and removal can be difficult," he said. "Just as far back as you can. I don't want you to have to spend a $1 million but we don't want to be clipping your poles all of the time." 

 

Edward Clairmont, owner of Gulf Farm on Stewart White Road, said he was concerned about poles and guide wires interfering with his farm.

 

He was concerned about a pole near his barn that may cause difficulties when removing hay and notified Clowes that his water line is near the proposed poles and care needs to be taken when digging.

 

Also, he was afraid a guide wire could trap his cattle.

 

"I would want them put in in such a way so it does not cause a trap for my cattle, and I rather have it right on my fence line … or away from the fence far enough so an animal can move around," he said. "I can't have a guide wire in the middle of my barnyard."

 

Clowes said she does not have enough room to accommodate LeFebvre and Claremont's requests because of the difficult terrain.

 

LeFebvre said he was only concerned with the first four poles and they should not affect Claremont's farm.

 

Clairmont also asked if the new voltage would be able to handle new development. He said he has undergone a subdivision of his land and there is the possibility of more than 40 homes that could be built in the area.

 

Clowes said it should not be a problem.

 

"We are converting 2,400 high-voltage line to a 7,980 voltage line," she said. "They will be converted to the highest voltage we offer for single phase, and it could feed the whole town of Cheshire so there will be no limitations to adding houses at all."

 

Work is likely to begin in the spring. Once the poles are set, it should take three to six months to make the conversions. Clowes said there will have to be an outage during the day of the conversion.