CL&P begins Winsted upgrades

WINSTED — The town’s power grid is getting a state-of-the-art facelift.

Connecticut Light & Power kicked off the $4.4 million upgrade to its system in Winsted on July 8.

Mitch Gross, spokesperson for the New England power company, told The Journal the two-year project will improve reliability throughout Winsted’s downtown corridor.

Improvements and upgrades will also be made along along Case Avenue, Willow Street, Prospect Street, Lake Street, Rockwell Street, Boyd Street, Hubbard Street and Meadow Street.

The company will work with the town to minimize traffic delays, but Gross said drivers should expect partial lane and road closures during the project.

The work will be done in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed sometime in November.

“Work tends to slow down in the winter months,� Gross said.

He added that the upgrades in Winsted are part of CL&P’s ongoing efforts to improve its electrical distribution system throughout the state.

“We are always looking for ways to improve the service in the towns we serve,� he said.

The first part of this project includes:

• Replacing 60 poles and installing new cross arms and insulators that hold the wires in place at the top of the poles.

• Installing 130 new lightning arresters, which protect lines, transformers and equipment from lightning strikes by carrying the electrical charge to the ground.

• Installing more than 2,500 feet of new wire specially designed for use in tree-lined areas along Willow Street, Torrington Road and Lake Street.

• Upgrading electrical equipment at the CL&P substation on Case Avenue.

• Installing additional equipment that will isolate local electrical problems from the rest of the service area.

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