New England 24, November 23, 2022

Two Spans On New Hampshire/ Vermont Border to Be Replaced

By Ken Liebeskind CEG CORRESPONDENT

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has restarted construction activities to replace the two existing bridges carrying NH Route 119 in

Hinsdale, N.H., over the Connecticut River into Brattleboro, Vt., with an eight-span steel girder bridge.

Reed & Reed of Woolwich, Maine, is the lead contractor on the project with assistance from Bazin Brothers of Westminster, Vt., and East Coast

Griffin and Sons Excavating Keeps Snowy Roads Clear

Vermont’s Mad River Valley is one of the snowiest locations on the East Coast of the United States; crisscrossed by winding dirt roads and dotted with ski resorts. Here’s where Chris Griffin clears snow in the early mornings throughout the long Vermont winter.

“Everybody thinks it’s just pushing

snow and it’s easy, but there’s a lot more to it where we live,” Griffin said. “There are hills and ice and complications. You have to pay attention to keep the truck on the road.”

Griffin knows these hills well, having grown up working here for his

Signals of Deerfield, N.H.

The reconstruction of NH 119 began approximately 600 ft. south of Georges Field Road and extends north and west along the new alignment for 6/10 of a mile where it will connect to Route 142

increase his company’s productivity, Griffin uses two 15ton wheel loaders that he said are the perfect size for clearing snow. He outfits one with a 12-ft. snow pusher attachment for plowing and

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WMCC Breaks Ground On New Advanced Tech Building

In March, Milton CAT made a $200,000 donation to support the construction, equipment, infrastructure and program development for the Advanced Technology Building as part of WMCC’s larger Build Community Expansion. Following Milton CAT’s donation, Caterpillar donated $25,000 as part of the Caterpillar Dealer Excellence Fund (DEF).

On Sept. 14, White Mountains Community College (WMCC) broke ground on its new Advanced Technology Building at its Littleton Academic Center with support from Milton

CAT and Caterpillar Foundation. Students, faculty, community members and dignitaries, including Gov. Chris Sununu, gathered to celebrate a shared goal of improving access to quality education, increasing regional recruitment, and helping WMCC meet current and future workforce needs in the North Country by growing high-demand programs.

The 10,000 sq. ft. building will be home to WMCC’s Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology program as well as an innovation lab, a welding lab and flexible learning spaces.

In March, Milton CAT made a $200,000 donation to support the construction, equipment, infrastructure and program development for the Advanced Technology Building as part of WMCC’s larger Build Community Expansion. Following Milton CAT’s donation, the Caterpillar Foundation granted $25,000 as part of the Caterpillar Dealer Excellence Fund (DEF). The DEF program aims to strengthen schools’ technical cur-

riculum and faculty development in hopes of increasing the number of qualified technicians in the heavy equipment industry.

“We’re excited about continuing to build partnerships with the greater Littleton community and with their support, we are proud to be breaking ground for our new Advanced Technology Building which is being built with the everchanging needs of our local workforce in mind,” WMCC President Chuck Lloyd explained.

“The generous support from Milton CAT and the Caterpillar Foundation has been instrumental in helping us get this project under way to train the next generation of technicians and mechanics.”

As a long-time supporter of WMCC and its Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology program, Milton CAT’s donation further shows its commitment to the decades-long partnership.

“Access to high-quality technical and

safety training can truly change the lives of students and those within our community. We are so proud to be able to give back by supporting such an important pillar of our community as WMCC,” Chris Robichaud, Milton CAT representative, said.

Throughout the years, Milton CAT has donated machines, diagnostic equipment, engines and PPE; led workshops; assisted with instructor development; and provided students with internship, co-op, scholarship and employment opportunities.

Based in Berlin, N.H., WMCC is one of seven community colleges in New Hampshire. It offers 48 unique programs ranging from culinary arts to industrial mechanics. Its Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology program is the only program in New England accredited by the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED).

For more information, visit www.wmcc.edu. 

Milton CAT President Chris Milton (L) with WMCC President Chuck Lloyd.

WMCC broke ground for its new Advanced Technology Building on Sept. 14 in Littleton, N.H.

On Sept. 14, White Mountains Community College (WMCC) broke ground on its new Advanced Technology Building at its Littleton Academic Center with support from Milton CAT and Caterpillar.

(L-R) are Marc Pouliot, WMCC Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology program professor; Chris Robichaud, Milton CAT representative; and Chuck Lloyd, WMCC president.

The 10,000-sq.-ft. Advanced Technology Building will be home to WMCC’s Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology program as well as an innovation lab, a welding lab and flexible learning spaces.

Students, faculty, community members and dignitaries, including Gov. Chris Sununu, gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking.

Reed & Reed Leads Bridge Replacement Projects in N.H., Vt.

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in Brattleboro with a new intersection that will be approximately 900 ft. south of the existing intersection of Routes 119/142 in Vermont. The reconstruction of approximately 1,700 ft. of VT 142 and the construction of a new boat ramp in New Hampshire will be completed during this project as well.

“In New Hampshire, clearing and utility relocations are complete,” said Mark Moran, civil engineer and contract administrator of NHDOT.

The new bridge has seven piers with work progressing on a number of them.

“Pier 7’s foundation is in the ground, its stem has been constructed just below the pier cap, it has been backfilled around the stem and the cofferdam has been removed,” Moran said. “Pier 5 piles are completed and the cofferdam has been sealed and dewatered. At Pier 4, the cofferdam has been installed. Currently, our temporary access trestle launched from the New Hampshire riverbank has been constructed to beyond Pier 4 and closing in on Pier 3’s location.”

Reed & Reed noted, “The work sequence for each of the seven bridge piers is the same: install sheetpile cofferdam, excavate soils, drive 30-inch pipe piles to refusal [approximately 100 ft. deep], place underwater concrete seal, construct reinforced concrete footing and pier shaft, remove cofferdam. Repeat.”

“We’re doing abutment work on the seven piers and working on the trestle to give us access to the river piers,” said Dustin Littlefield, project manager of Reed & Reed. “We’re also doing approach work for the new alignment and slope embankment work.”

Gary Laroche, project manager of the Vermont Agency of Transportation, said the demolition of the former Raymond James Metals building on Route 142 that will make way for the construction of the new bridge is the first element of the project that has been completed in Vermont. A crew from Bazin Brothers performed the demolition.

“The relocation of overhead electricity and communication lines was also completed and they were moved underground,” he said. “In the next six months, we’ll be mobilizing equipment to construct Vermont Pier 1. We also have to manage soils in accordance with state regulations, so we’re

stockpiling soil for disposal. Next summer, we’ll close Route 142 for 90 days to build retaining walls up to 12 feet in height that approach the bridge that will be built over the New England Railroad and the Connecticut River.”

Work started on the project in September 2021 with an anticipated completion date of Oct. 24, 2024.

Currently, Reed & Reed is constructing rebar and concrete formwork for the New Hampshire Abutment backwall, the pier cap for Pier 7 and the footing for Pier 6. It also is augering out the top 80 to 85 ft. of 30-in. diameter pipe pile at Pier 5, driving cofferdam sheets at Pier 4 and extending the trestle toward Pier 3, Moran said.

The two truss bridges that are being replaced — the Charles Dana and the Anna Hunt Marsh bridges — were constructed in 1920, with modifications installed in 1988 and 2003. They have been on the state’s “Red List” since 2018 with poor superstructures listed. The 21- and 23-ft. bridges are too narrow and have provided a long history of traffic incidences and accidents when large vehicles have attempted to cross.

The truss bridges that are being replaced by the new steel girder bridge won’t be demolished. Laroche said they will be rehabilitated for pedestrian and bicycle use.

“They will be closed to vehicle traffic,” Moran said. “A future contract is to be put to bid to rehab those two bridges. Minor repairs will be made to the concrete and steel portions of these structures and a considerable amount of money will be spent on repainting them and removing and abating old lead paint prior to a new paint application.”

The total cost of the project will be $61.2 million with New Hampshire paying for the bulk of the amount and Vermont the remainder.

NHDOT and VTrans have agreed to fund the project utilizing an 83/17 percent split for all preliminary engineering costs of the new bridge. The town of Brattleboro will pay for 7 percent of the construction costs to rehabilitate the Anna Marsh Truss Bridge. NHDOT will pay for 93 percent of the costs of the rehabilitation of the Anna Marsh Truss Bridge and 100 percent of the rehabilitation costs of the Charles Dana Hunt Truss Bridge. New Hampshire and Vermont are currently utilizing state funds, federal formula funds, and GARVEE bonding for the construction of this project. Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles — GARVEEs — are debtfinancing instruments repaid with future Federal-aid funds.

(All photos courtesy of NHDOT.)

SPANS

The truss bridges that are being replaced — the Charles Dana and the Anna Hunt Marsh bridges — were constructed in 1920.

A clamshell goes to work at Pier 5.

A Grove crane sets a vault on the Vermont side.

A Caterpillar mini-excavator works in Pier 6.

A pump truck works on the cofferdam seal at Pier 5.

Reed & Reed of Woolwich, Maine, is the lead contractor on the project.

Contractor Stays Busy in New England’s Warm, Cold Climes

SNOW from page 1

grandparents’ company, Griffin and Griffin Excavating. When he bought the company, he changed the name to Griffin and Sons Excavating as a tribute to his two boys.

“I started out in the sandbox, and I never got out of it,” Griffin said. “I’d like them to do what we did. My family always has done it and it’s a good job. It’s a lot of fun. You get to work outside and take a lot of pride in your work.”

It may be fun, but it’s not easy. Griffin works seven days a week, year-round. When the ground is thawed he’s doing site preparation and road work; when it’s too cold to dig he’s clearing snow off driveways and the school parking lot. He has four employees and would have more if he had an easier time finding qualified operators. This year was the first year he had to turn down customers because he didn’t have enough labor to handle the increased work.

“I’m out driving the truck and working with the guys every day,” Griffin said. “But there’s only so much we can do.”

Heavy Lifting, Pushing

To help increase his company’s productivity, Griffin uses two 15-ton wheel loaders that he said are the perfect size for clearing snow. He outfits one with a 12-ft. snow pusher attachment for plowing and the other with a bucket for stacking.

“Clearing up snow with a wheel loader and a snow pusher is a lot faster, and you can push more snow than with a skidsteer loader, especially when you get heavy snows,” Griffin said.

One of his wheel loaders is a Doosan DL220-7 that he purchased from G. Stone Commercial in Middlebury, Vt. A previous relationship with the dealer offered Griffin the opportunity to purchase the newest iteration of Doosan wheel loaders.

When it snows, Griffin and his operators have to be ready at all times of the day. It may be 1 a.m. when he’s clearing snow from

a school parking lot. Bright LED lights on his wheel loaders allow him to work at night with clear visibility to the snow pusher. That visibility is paramount when performing snow removal, and Griffin said the machine is designed so he can see all around it.

Support from his dealer keeps him and his crew working throughout winter.

“I need good service and dependability from my dealer,” Griffin said. “My machine has to be working when we need it. My local dealer provides great service. They’re right on top of stuff when you need them.”

Overcoming Challenges

If fuel prices remain high, Griffin acknowledges he may have to raise his rates this coming winter.

“We don’t want to raise prices, but we have to cover costs,” Griffin said. “Everything revolves around fuel, and increases make everything else go up.”

To control what he can, Griffin leases his wheel loaders and has warranties on his machines.

“I just try to get a monthly payment that’s comfortable because sometimes you don’t know what work you’re going to get in the winter,” Griffin said.

In the summertime he uses his wheel loaders in his company’s yard for loading material like stone, gravel and topsoil. When he’s in the cab, he appreciates the hands-free Bluetooth connection to his phone, because he’s often multitasking. For the owner of the company, there’s always something else to be done.

“I work with homeowners all the time,” Griffin said. “I go meet people, I go to the job and do estimates, and I run equipment.”

He does all that while raising a young family.

“I don’t get much sleep,” Griffin said. Thankfully the cupholders in his cab hold a lot of coffee.

For more information on Doosan products, visit na.DoosanEquipment.com. 

New $18M Art Center in Waterville, Maine, Nears Completion

Construction crews at the $18 million Paul J. Schupf Art Center in downtown Waterville, Maine, are in the final weeks of completing the new facility before it will be unveiled to the public Dec. 17.

The 30,000-sq.-ft. center at 93 Main St., developed by Colby College and Waterville Creates, will house the city’s visual and performing arts offerings under one roof and include three cinemas as part of The Maine Film Center.

The center is named for Paul J. Schupf, an art collector and longtime Colby benefactor who lived in Hamilton, N.Y., and died in 2019 at age 82. He also served as an emeritus trustee of the college, and gave a naming gift for the center, the amount of which he asked not to be revealed.

Construction on the project began in 2021 by Landry/French Construction, in Scarborough, Maine, following demolition of The Center building, which had been on the site.

After Colby President David Greene arrived in Waterville eight years ago, he held a series of meetings with city officials, arts advocates, businesspeople and others to help decide what the city needed to thrive and succeed. They concluded that rehabilitating

vacant buildings, drawing more people to live and work downtown, and strengthening and supporting the arts and businesses already in the city were the top priorities, according to Colby officials.

Shortly after, the college began buying and rehabilitating buildings, in addition to erecting new ones, which led others to follow suit, the Morning Sentinel reported.

Constructed at the crossroads of Main Street and Castonguay Square, Waterville’s new Schupf Art Center will encompass a series of attractions and amenities, along

with striking architectural designs that reveal the diversity and vitality of the spaces within.

• The Ed Harris Box Office, just inside the front entrance on Main Street, will offer tickets to all visual and performing arts events, including those at the Waterville Opera House, Maine Film Center and nearby galleries.

• A giant glass curtain wall on the first and second floors of the arts center faces Castonguay Square to the south. The design will allow visitors to sit at tables or in a mini-living room overlooking the square. Called The Hub, the area is a work and gathering space named for Colby graduate Mark Hubbert, who donated to the effort. Free, public Wi-Fi also will be available throughout the entire building.

• Glassed-in spaces on the ground floor for the Ticonic Gallery and Studios, as well as classrooms and a workspace with eight pottery wheels and two kilns, will give members of the Clay Studio access 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• The three cinemas — sized small, medium and large — on the second level of the Schupf Art Center will seat 24, 46 and 120 patrons, respectively. Clark told the Kennebec news outlet that the small theater

may be available to rent for home-theater events, children’s birthday parties and similar activities.

• A concessions stand, cafe tables and a lounge also will be on the second level, as well as a glass wall overlooking Main Street, and a skywalk leading to an expanded Waterville Opera House lobby. Additionally, a mural will be featured on one large wall created by Tessa O’Brien, a visiting artist with the Lunder Institute for American Art who works in the Greene Block + Studios across Main Street from the Lockwood Hotel.

• On the same level is Studio 1902, a flexible space designed to be rehearsal space for the Opera House. It will include a mirror and bar along the wall and a “sprung” floor for dance and theatrical productions.

• Prominently situated within the Schupf Center building is the Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art, considered a Colby College Museum of Art expansion onto Main Street. The gallery has its own mechanical systems, including air handling for housing high-end art. Clark told the Kennebec news source that bringing the college’s art museum “down to Main Street is huge [and will] make it accessible in a way it never has been.”

• The Waterville Creates offices, including those for the Maine Film Center, Opera House and Ticonic Gallery and Studios, are on the basement level, along with electrical, sprinkler, IT and other mechanical rooms.

Chris Griffin

Photo courtesy of Susan T Rodriguez

The 30,000-sq.-ft. center at 93 Main St., developed by Colby College and Waterville Creates, will house the city’s visual and performing arts offerings under one roof and include three cinemas as part of The Maine Film Center.

Decaying Mill in Maine to Receive $15M Transformation

Construction has begun on a $15 million plan to transform the former Solon Manufacturing mill in downtown Waterville, Maine, into a brewery, housing and a hotel. City officials hope the project, on an island in the Kennebec River, will complement other local efforts in the works and boost economic development.

The historic 80,000-sq.-ft. mill, at 7 Island Ave., was bought five years ago by Jeff and Pam Powers, owners of Bigelow Brewing Co., and sold recently to High Tide Capital LLC of Bangor, the Waterville Morning Sentinel reported Nov. 5.

“Rehabbing an old mill building like that, there’s definitely a different set of issues for someone to deal with, but it’s very rewarding in the end,” Town Manager Christina Almand told the Waterville newspaper.

High Tide, which has done revitalization projects in Bangor and elsewhere, plans to have the Bigelow brewery and tap room anchor the ground floor. A 15- to 20-room

working with Bigelow Brewing for more than four years on the project.

“From conception to purchase, design and now construction, I’ve been very impressed with Bigelow’s passion for the project,” Savage said in an email. “Of course, it will help the business expand production and sales in the new downtown location, but [the Powers’] have always viewed this more of a win for the downtown area than their business.

A new brewery for locals and visitors, much needed downtown housing units, and the beautification of a historic building is what has been driving [them] to see this project through.”

He noted the couple’s partnership with High Tide accelerated the project, prompting the beginning of the roof’s reconstruction.

“This will be one of the more impactful projects Skowhegan has seen and frankly adds to the ongoing momentum Skowhegan is undergoing,” Savage told the Waterville news source.

Century Old Mill Being Reborn

The mill was constructed in 1922 and originally housed Maine Spinning Co., according to information provided by the SCDC. The textile company was at its height from the 1940s to the 1970s, when it employed 300 people and produced up to two million pounds of yarn for markets around the country.

Waterville. And in Lisbon, officials are hoping the former Worumbo Mill can once again become an economic catalyst for that town.

Town Also Seeing Transformation

Skowhegan, meanwhile, has several projects in various stages of development, including a new elementary school off Heselton Street and a public safety building on East Madison Road expected to be ready for occupancy next June.

Another project, The River Park, formerly known as Run of River, will have the only adjustable wave on the Kennebec, which will allow for whitewater rafting competitions and other events. The park will be accessible from downtown by a stairway, and audience seating is planned. In addition, approximately 50 mi. of trails are proposed for the area.

Waterville news outlet.

“People will be able to live within a stone’s throw of shops, restaurants and recreation opportunities, and instead of our downtown shutting down at 5 p.m., we’ll see people out and about walking, biking and enjoying our riverfront seven days a week, all year long.”

MaineDOT, Skowhegan Partner On Village Center

The town is partnering with the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) and Main Street

Skowhegan on a program called the Village Partnership Initiative to help plan a broad approach to downtown design, according to Almand. Residents in June approved the work to develop a vision for reinvestment and revitalization of Skowhegan’s village center.

Each of the different projects under way has the potential to affect traffic flow through town, she explained, so a study for constructing a new bridge across the Kennebec River has been put on hold for now.

hotel, also on the first floor, will feature large rooms designed for overnight or extended stays. In addition, 45 apartments are planned on the second through fourth floors, according to Dash Davidson who, along with Max Patinkin, are High Tide’s principals.

Davidson said there will be green space surrounding the building, amenities in the basement serving the apartments and hotel, and 7,000 sq. ft. of roof deck overlooking the nearby Weston Dam and riverwalk.

The development in the Somerset County town is expected to be completed within two years, he added.

“We are starting construction immediately,” Davidson said in an email to the Morning Sentinel. “Roofers are on site to begin installing a new roof on the building.”

Christian Savage, executive director of the Somerset Economic Development Corp. (SCDC), said his organization has been

Later, the building and factory was acquired by Solon Manufacturing, which operated until 2005. It produced a variety of wooden, plastic, and metal products for the medical, industrial and food markets. The building changed hands several times but has remained mostly vacant for the last 17 years.

The Maine Historic Preservation Commission in August announced that the mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of the influential role Maine Spinning Co. played in the textile industry in the state for much of the 20th century.

The building is one of several such structures in the region undergoing a transformation. Developers are planning to spend more than $30 million on the first phase of redevelopment of one of the Lockwood Mill buildings extending south of downtown

Main Street Skowhegan, a nonprofit focused on revitalization, received $2 million in federal funding to redevelop the downtown riverfront, which overlooks the Kennebec River gorge, in anticipation of Skowhegan’s future river park.

Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan, said redeveloping the mill into a mixed-use facility with residential units is going to transform the downtown into a place where people not only work but also live, bringing new vibrancy to the heart of the community.

“Add to that a river park with a promenade, trails, river access and enhanced whitewater, and downtown Skowhegan becomes one of the most attractive new places to live in Maine,” she said in an email to the

“We want to take a step back and look at it comprehensively,” she said, adding Skowhegan will look for a consultant to help with planning phases, and the town would seek grants to make major improvements to vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle travel. Federal funds also will be sought.

“All the different projects are in different phases, but I think we’re going to see a lot of changes over the next 24 to 60 months,” Almand said, noting that more housing in the area is needed.

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Christian Savage Somerset Economic Development Corp.

“Rehabbing an old mill building like that, there’s definitely a different set of issues for someone to deal with…”

Christina Almand Waterville Town Manager

“All the different projects are in different phases, but I think we’re going to see a lot of changes over the next 24 to 60 months.”

Christina Almand Waterville Town Manager

Avangrid Sticks With Park City Wind Project Despite Delay

A spokesperson of Orange, Conn.-based Avangrid’s Park City Wind project said the company is still committed to the renewable energy project and plans to redevelop a part of Bridgeport’s waterfront as a staging area for the project, despite pushing back its completion date.

Avangrid’s Craig Gilvarg told Hearst Connecticut Media, and reported Nov. 3 by Hearst’s Middletown Press, that the delay was announced in late October during the company’s third quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts. In a written statement, he added the delay, which pushes back when the wind farm becomes operational from 2026 to 2027, “does not impact Avangrid’s plans for Bridgeport, which will play a central role in the Park City Wind project.”

“Avangrid continues to work closely with the Bridgeport community and the state of Connecticut to create new, well-paying clean energy jobs and build valuable Connecticutbased offshore wind capabilities along with a trained workforce prepared for future projects, while helping the state meet its clean energy goals,” he said.

But when asked to provide a timeline for the Bridgeport part of the development, he declined to comment beyond the statement.

The wind farm is planned to be built 15 mi. south of Massachusetts’s Martha’s Vineyard to produce enough electricity to power about 400,000 homes.

Avangrid’s latest reassurances about the Park City Wind project come four months after Hearst Connecticut Media reported that a zoning change had complicated the project’s future.

Bridgeport’s Barnum Landing is a 15-acre piece of land at 525 Seaview Ave. It will be used during the construction phase of the Park City Wind project for storage and assembly of the part of the wind turbines that anchor the body of the machines to the steel foundation.

A nearby three-acre port location would serve as an operations and maintenance hub for the wind farm after the completion of the construction phase, the MIddletown news source noted.

Improved Agreement With Massachusetts Needed

Park City Wind CEO Pedro Azagra Blàzquez said the one-year delay in the project as well as for Avangrid’s Commonwealth Wind effort, 7 mi. south of Park City Wind’s site on the Atlantic Ocean, is necessary because the company’s focus “is on improving the project economics and renegotiating our PPAs [power purchase agreements]

because of the difficult environment.”

He told financial analysts that Avangrid has asked that state officials suspend their regulatory review of the project for a month as the company negotiates with Massachusetts to make the PPA more financially viable.

“We did these projects in 2019 and 2021, respectively,” Blàzquez explained. “Since then, the markets experienced meaningful and anticipated changes due to high inflation and supply chain constraints and higher capital and borrowing costs, making it necessary for us to pursue changes to the PPA terms, which we believe are modest and achievable.”

Gilvarg added the delay also will allow the Park City Wind project “to take advantage of the next generation of wind turbine technology advancements.”

When asked if Connecticut’s PPA contained any clauses that either prohibit renegotiating or provide for financial penalties for delays, a state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) spokesman told the Press that “DEEP will review any Park City Wind Request for contractual amendment at the time it is submitted to determine if such amendment is in the interest of ratepayers and helps further the state’s energy goals including reliability, environmental, economic development and equity.”

The Park City Wind project is expected to generate an estimated $890 million in direct economic development for Connecticut.

Trio of Avangrid Projects Planned

Park City Wind is one of three wind farms that Avangrid has that are in various stages of development.

The company’s Vineyard Wind I project is the furthest along, according to Blàzquez, and is already under construction. That wind farm will generate enough energy for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts when it begins operating sometime in 2024.

“The project is progressing well and remains on track with the construction plan,” he said.

The second, Commonweath Wind, is projected to generate 1,200 megawatts of renewable energy for Massachusetts — enough electricity to power 750,000 homes.

The three New England projects would generate tens of thousands of jobs during the construction phase, most of which will be in Massachusetts and Connecticut, according to Blàzquez, and will generate more than 1,500 long-term sustained jobs during the operational life of the project.