Construction of a new electrical substation to replace the antiquated substation on Industrial Road in Montauk is to begin next week, PSEG Long Island announced on Monday.
The utility, which manages the electrical grid on behalf of the Long Island Power Authority, announced in June that it would build a new substation on a LIPA-owned parcel near the site of the existing facility, between Industrial Road and Shore Road. It will increase reliability and power quality, according to the announcement by PSEG Long Island, and reduce the risk of prolonged service disruptions, particularly during heat waves and extreme weather.
Construction is to begin next week with clearing, grading, the installation of fencing, and foundation work. Installation of substation equipment is to follow immediately, with construction expected to be complete by December 2020.
The project is to include reconfiguration of underground distribution feeders and overhead transmission lines on Second House Road and Industrial Road, which is expected to take 12 to 18 months. Distribution work will not take place between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to PSEG Long Island.
The work will happen Monday through Saturday from approximately 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. No new poles will be installed as part of the project, according to PSEG Long Island, though if a pole is found to be deficient it may be replaced by one of similar size.
The existing substation is to be dismantled, and PSEG Long Island and the town will restore the site, allowing for the public’s use of the waterfront and access to the pond, according to a 2019 press release from the utility.
Customers with questions about the project have been asked to call PSEG Long Island’s customer service at 800-490-0025 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The existing substation is more than 100 years old and sits on a man-made site that juts into Fort Pond. A 2017 siting analysis prepared by PSEG Long Island noted that it is approximately five feet above mean sea level, one to two feet above the elevation of Fort Pond, and experiences regular flooding, which has deteriorated the infrastructure.
The utility analyzed around a dozen vacant properties, causing an outcry when it appeared to be planning a new substation along Flamingo Avenue, near both the Montauk Playhouse community center and several residences. Property near the hamlet’s former landfill in Hither Woods became a popular option among some residents, but that area is parkland, and a substation there would have required approval of the County and State Legislatures for parkland alienation. It would also have required significant clearing.