December 3, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
The proposed estimated $100- to $110-million Hingham Electrical Infrastructure Reliability Project (HEIRP) – designed to address critical reliability needs of Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant (HMLP) customers and to help meet the town’s climate goals – includes a new substation at the Hingham Transfer Station off Hobart Street.
Light Board Chair Laura Burns and HMLP General Manager Thomas Morahan provided an update to the select board this week.
Burns emphasized that the cost will be covered by previous rate increases; that there will be no property tax impact; and that the HEIRP doesn’t compete for funding with other town projects.
Other components are a new tap station in Weymouth that will be constructed, owned, and operated by Eversource and a 3.2-mile, 115-kilovolt underground transmission line to be constructed beneath public ways in Weymouth and Hingham.
Town Meeting 2026 will be asked to approve the $60 to $80 million in bonding required to fund the new transmission line and substation construction.
Funding for the tap station in Weymouth will be paid over 40 years through HMLP rates.
Because of the scope of the project, the entire HEIRP proposal is required to be reviewed and approved by the state Energy Facilities Siting Board.
The proposed new substation is vital to ensuring a reliable, low-cost electricity supply that supports the town’s public safety, economic vitality, and environmental goals, according to project proponents.
Electricity supply dependent on two overhead lines
Currently, Hingham is served by two above-ground transmission lines on one set of poles. This leaves the Town vulnerable to extended outages should a severe weather-related or other event occur.
“New underground cable will prevent an all-town outage from loss of existing overhead lines,” Burns explained. In addition, “the new infrastructure will be sufficient to meet projected future increases in demand.”
Since Dec. 2020, “there have been more than 40 outreach events [about the project,” Morahan said.
On April 30, 2022, Town Meeting approved a warrant article authorizing the select board to transfer custody and control of a parcel of land at the Hingham transfer station to HMLP for purposes of constructing and operating a new substation.
On June 4, 2024, the Hingham Planning Board and Hingham Zoning Board held a joint public hearing regarding HMLP’s proposed substation. After allowing for public comment, the boards voted to recommend that the select board include certain conditions as part of its transfer of custody and control of the substation parcel to HMLP.
On November 13, 2024, pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, HMLP submitted a petition to the Energy Facilities Siting Board for approval to construct the project.
Also on November 13, 2024, pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, HMLP and Eversource filed a joint petition for exemptions from the zoning ordinances of the towns of Weymouth and Hingham.
HMLP will continue to work with Hingham and Weymouth residents, businesses, and officials through all phases of project development and permitting in addition to completing the Energy Facilities Siting Board permitting process. “We’ll hopefully have Siting Board approval by August 2026,” Morahan said.
The start of construction for the substation, tap station, and the new transmission line is anticipated for 2027.
No public comments were made at the meeting.
Go to http://heirp.com and https://www.mass.gov/info-details/hmlp-reliability-project for more details and updates about the project.
Contact P.J. O’Sullivan at (617) 750-1628 or pjosullivan@rasky.com with questions.