PSE&G Project Underway on West Second Street

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Someone asked me why West Second Street was closed off and yesterday I was able to get a look. The work being done is related to PSE&G upgrades that I reported on in May.

The substations on West Second Street and South Second Street date back to the 1950s and are at the end of their useful lives. Newer and bigger equipment will increase capacity from 2,600 volts to 6,900 volts to meet increased demand, expected to be 12 percent over the next 10 years.

The upgrades were requested by grid operator PJM. The company serves all or part of 14 states including New Jersey.

As Dan previously reported, PSE&G is using a city-owned lot at West Second Street and Madison Avenue as a staging area.

The lot has been eyed by both the Housing Authority and Frank Cretella for development, along with city parking lot 9. The PSE&G project is expected to take from 12 to 15 months.

A large evergreen tree on the substation site has been chopped down. Plans call for new landscaping in addition to lightning masts and new fencing, a matter of much debate at the May Zoning Board hearing.

Yesterday East Second Street was also closed and this huge machine was in use. Note the web address for contractor J. Fletcher Creamer & Son.  The company has been in business since 1923.

Any inconvenience should be offset by the knowledge that these projects will help equip the city for development in coming years.

--Bernice