New England transmission owners have added over $376 million in projects to the region’s asset condition list since October while placing over $560 million in projects in service.

Eversource Energy is responsible for about $260 million of the recently proposed spending, followed by National Grid at over $95 million and Rhode Island Energy at $21 million.

The update brings total spending on asset condition projects placed in service since 2020 to $5.23 billion. The companies plan to spend an additional $4.44 billion on projects expected to come online by the end of 2030, though this number will likely increase as they identify additional needs and projects.

Asset condition projects, which are intended to address transmission infrastructure deterioration, account for the bulk of new transmission spending in New England.

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Addressing increasing asset condition costs has been a main focus for consumer advocates in the region. In 2025, ISO-NE agreed to establish an internal asset condition project reviewer, which it hopes to stand up by the start of 2027. The reviewer would evaluate project needs, cost effectiveness and alternatives for proposals over $25 million. This information could be used by third parties to challenge cost recovery with FERC. (See ISO-NE Refines Details on Asset Condition Reviewer.)

Project Presentations

For all asset condition projects expected to cost over $5 million, the transmission owners are required to give advisory presentations to the ISO-NE Planning Advisory Committee (PAC). The committee does not have the power to deny or approve projects.

At the PAC on March 24, representatives of the transmission owners presented a trio of relatively small projects.

Eversource presented a $17.6 million project to replace two breakers and address a lack of cable shielding at a substation in Connecticut. The proposal is part of a larger effort to upgrade substations that lack cable shielding and replace breakers that rely on out-of-date air compression systems.

The company also presented a $5 million project to replace outdated relays at a substation in western Connecticut.

Versant Power presented a $12.7 million project to replace thyristor switched capacitor valves and add a new control system at a facility providing reactive power to maintain stability on a line between New England and the Canadian Maritime provinces.