One of six import/export electricity lines to/from New England are atop the towers as photographed in Norwalk, CT (thanks, Kathleen McLaughlin). This double circuit line is either 115 or 138kv and has the capacity to transfer (per contract) around 220 megawatts of needed electricity in either direction. Most of the time this is an export line into a ConEd switchyard on the New York side, typically at a 100 megawatt flow according to ISO-NE (Independent Service Operator - New England). This transfer line was added many years after the Metro-North railway system was built...which was about 100 years ago (and a lot of the original structures are still standing, such as this one!). Provision for the regional transfer system along this major railway route was accomplished via adding extensions to crossing structures (such as this one) and by adding/replacing older high-voltage towers from New Haven to the New York.

The present transmission owner is either Northeast Utilities (Connecticut Light and Power, a NU subsidiary) or the United Illuminating company (New Haven, CT).

If you love old transit and power line architecture this *one* line to check out!! I believe the section nearest NYC was built in 1908 and the one from New Haven, CT southerly was added in the teens.

There are a lot of old multipart insulators along this route, mostly to accomodate the 11kv and 22kv transit cars.

A close-up of some old light bluish-gray multiparts on this crossing tower are shown in the following photo. Click "Next". Thanks again, Kathleen.

JOE

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