High-Profile: November 2026 | Page 40

40 High-Profile: Industrial
November 2026

Avangrid Advances Work at More Than 40 Substations

Orange, CT – Avangrid, Inc., a member of the Iberdrola Group, recently announced that it has continued to invest in the reliability, resilience and modernization of the electric grid throughout 2026, advancing work at more than 40 substations and substation facilities across Maine, New York and Connecticut.
From major substation rebuilds and equipment replacements to flood mitigation projects, automation upgrades and capacity enhancements, these investments are helping strengthen the electric system, improve service reliability and support growing energy demand in the communities Avangrid serves.
“ Substations are the backbone of a reliable electric grid,” said Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda.“ Across our service territories, we are making strategic investments to modernize critical infrastructure, strengthen resilience against increasingly severe weather, improve operational flexibility, and ensure our electric system is prepared to meet the needs of customers for decades to come.”
In Connecticut, Avangrid subsidiary United Illuminating continued several major resiliency projects designed to protect critical infrastructure from flooding and extreme weather.
The company advanced construction
Substation equipment in Maine / Photo courtesy of Avangrid on flood protection improvements at the Singer Substation in Bridgeport and achieved engineering milestones for flood mitigation efforts at the Grand Avenue-Mill River substation in New Haven and Milvon Substation in Milford. Final closeout activities also continued for the Pequonnock Resiliency Project, which relocated and elevated critical infrastructure to reduce coastal flood risk.
Avangrid continued significant investments to replace aging equipment and modernize substations across the region.
In Connecticut, United Illuminating began construction on the Old Town
Substation rebuild in Bridgeport, transformer replacement at Ansonia Substation and reliability upgrades at Sackett Substation in North Haven.
Avangrid subsidiaries New York State Electric & Gas and Rochester Gas and Electric made significant progress modernizing critical infrastructure in New York that is increasing system capacity, improving operational reliability and supporting continued economic growth in local communities. New York State Electric & Gas completed or advanced major projects at the Fraser, Milo, Meyer, West Hill, Fourth Street, Cayuga Heights, Cobble Hill, Canandaigua, and Aurora substations, and Rochester Gas and Electric advanced work at Substation 43 in Rochester.
In Maine, Avangrid subsidiary Central Maine Power energized major upgrades at the Stickney’ s Corner and Bonney Eagle substations, completed the Rock Row 34- kV switchyard project, and advanced battery system replacements and automation improvements at numerous substations throughout the state.
Avangrid also continued investments in modern protection, communications and automation technologies that allow utilities to monitor and operate the grid more effectively.
In Connecticut, United Illuminating advanced upgrades to telemetry, relay systems, communications networks and protection equipment at multiple substations and transmission facilities, strengthening situational awareness and improving system protection capabilities. Additionally, construction began for permanent lightning protection improvements at East Shore Substation in New Haven.
In Maine, automated device installations at eight substations improved Central Maine Power’ s operational flexibility and enhanced its ability to respond to outages and changing system conditions.
MPZ, Capstone Open Baldwinville School Apartments continued from page 20
$ 50,000 loan from the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, two state programs that advance housing, commercial development, and more by breathing new life into underused sites.”
“ Access to affordable housing is essential to building strong, vibrant communities,” said U. S. Rep. Jim McGovern.“ The Baldwinville School Apartments will make a real difference for families in Templeton, providing 54 new homes while preserving an important piece of the town’ s history. At a time when so many people are struggling to find a home they can afford, this is exactly the kind of investment our communities need. I’ m grateful to everyone who helped make this possible.”
“ We’ re working hard to build more homes and create more affordable places to live across the state,” said Juana Matias, secretary of housing and livable communities.“ The Healey-Driscoll Administration was proud to support the historic preservation and transformation of the Baldwinville school into 54 new homes. Congratulations to the town and local leaders on this achievement.”
“ I remember the groundbreaking for this project in June of 2025 and trying to imagine how it would look when it was done,” state Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, said.“ I’ m excited to see the completed project. MPZ Development LLC and
Capstone Communities LLC have brought a thoughtful building reuse project to this former school, transforming it into the town’ s first multifamily apartment project in decades; a much-needed asset in today’ s housing climate.”
“ It is fantastic to see vitality returned to the former Baldwinville School,” said Anne Gobi, director of rural affairs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.“ The care and attention to detail that Capstone and MPZ provided has resulted in housing that blends with the character of the town and retains many of the historical features of the school with the addition of new units and amenities. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is proud to be a partner in supporting new housing especially in rural areas.”
“ MassHousing is excited for the residents who have brand new apartment homes resulting from the redevelopment of the former Baldwinville School,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay.“ We were pleased to partner with Capstone Communities and MPZ Development to take a historic property no longer serving as a school and create new rental housing for residents with a range of incomes that will serve the community for many years to come.”
“ We’ re thrilled to partner with Capstone Communities and MPZ Development on the Baldwinville
School Apartments,” said Melissa Fish Crane, principal and CEO of Peabody Properties.“ It’ s always special to give a meaningful and historic building a new purpose, and the thoughtful design of this new community truly stands out for its architecture, amenities, and location. We look forward to welcoming residents to their new home.”
“ Rockland Trust is proud to support Capstone Communities and MPZ Development in the innovative transformation of the Baldwinville School into much-needed affordable housing for the town of Templeton,” said Claudius Zorokong, commercial banking officer at Rockland Trust.“ Capstone and MPZ have a track record of exemplary performance, and we are thrilled to be part of this revitalization effort.”
“ The transformation of the Baldwinville School Apartments reflects what’ s possible when intentional, collaborative partnerships and shared purpose come together,” said Liz Hibbard, senior vice president, capital markets at National Equity Fund.“ At NEF, we envision a society where increased access to affordable housing empowers every individual and family to reach their full potential. Bringing that vision to life takes innovative thinking, committed partners, and a deep understanding of community
needs. Capstone Communities and MPZ Development share in our values and have worked diligently to create a space that is safe, stable and affordable, allowing residents in Templeton to thrive and build the foundation for their futures.”
“ The Life Initiative is honored to play a role in this project, providing predevelopment support to the developers,” said Brandon E. Braxton, vice president of The Life Initiative.“ We have been fortunate to ally ourselves with Capstone Communities and MPZ Development on a number of projects and in a variety of lending roles; in the early stages of a project, with acquisition and predevelopment loans, up and through construction financing. This project is another wonderful example of creativity and hard work resulting in beautiful affordable homes for a deserving community. Our relationship with the development team will hopefully contribute to many more similar projects coming to fruition throughout the Commonwealth.”
“ The innovative conversion of a historic school building into muchneeded mixed-income housing is a win-win for the Templeton community,” said Pat Callahan, president of Callahan Construction.“ We find these projects incredibly rewarding to bring to fruition, especially when working with project partners like MPZ Development LLC and Capstone Communities LLC.”
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