BRIDGEPORT — The cornerstone of the 52-acre Steelpointe Harbor redevelopment project got one step closer to completion over the past week when United Illuminating (UI) completed a new customer connection there that will support the electric infrastructure.
From April 30 to May 6 UI workers completed the de-energization, evaluation, and re-energization work needed to connect the new customer known as The August apartments to the company’s distribution system, ensuring the complex is on track to open next year. The complex will include 420 residential units, 25,000 square feet of commercial space, and EV charging stations, all of which require several electric infrastructure connections into the existing underground distribution system at Steelpointe Harbor.
“The further development and revitalization of Steelpointe Harbor has the potential to bring enormous economic development to the Bridgeport waterfront, right at the heart of UI’s service area,” said Frank Reynolds, UI president and CEO. “With more than 100 years of UI’s history intertwined with the Steelpointe Harbor area, it feels like we’ve come full circle as we lay the groundwork for this exciting new legacy for Bridgeport. As this development continues to take off, we at UI will be here every step of the way to enable the safe, reliable electricity that powers economic development across our service area.”
The August, which has been under construction this winter and spring, is a mixed-use development that will be situated in what is currently open space surrounding the Lighthouse –an office building hosting offices of one of the developers the RCI Group and Flaherty & Collins Properties.
UI’s transmission and substation team and underground crews completed all terminations, splicing, and energization work necessary to connect the new customer to the company’s underground distribution system in the area. Adding the new load to the distribution system required UI to deenergize the circuit for several days. To avoid any outage or service interruption for other customers on the circuit, UI switched all customers’ load from one circuit to its alternate circuit. Then, after an evaluation was completed to ensure all customers were switched onto the alternate circuit, UI deenergized and grounded the circuit to allow its crews to work on it safely.
Over the course of two days, UI’s underground workforce safely connected the new customer to the distribution system in the splice chambers. Following the connection work, UI’s team workforce performed a hypot test (AKA a dielectric withstand test) to introduce limited voltage into the cable to test the integrity of the new cable and its insulation.
“No matter what economic development might look like for an area, whether it’s new businesses or new residential buildings, UI is the undercurrent powering that progress,” said Chuck Eves, UI’s vice president of electric operations.
“Our commitment – to the owners of Steelpointe Harbor, the City of Bridgeport, and all our stakeholders – is always to provide safe, reliable, and resilient electricity service to all our residential and business customers,” he added. “All of us look forward to working with companies, residents, and municipal officials across our service area to continue energizing the future of south-central Connecticut.”
UI’s history at Steelpointe Harbor dates back to 1923 with the commissioning of Steel Point Generating Station, a 16-story power generating facility located along the Bridgeport Harbor located approximately where Boca Oyster Bar now stands. A corresponding substation, known as East Main Street Substation, was also located in Steelpointe Harbor and distributed the electricity generated by the power station into Bridgeport’s distribution network.
UI decommissioned the generating station in 1983, and it was imploded in 1996. Afterwards, UI worked with City of Bridgeport officials to deenergize East Main Street Substation and have the facility removed, which allowed for the further redevelopment of the prime waterfront real estate.
A $10 million strip mall broke ground in February at Steelpointe Harbor. The waterfront project, which will abut the large Steelpointe Harbor development, is expected to be completed within six months, according to developer Robert Christoph Jr., president and found of RCI Group in Bridgeport. With this project, Steelpointe Harbor will have the already built Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and The Lighthouse (includes Boca Oyster Bar), a Starbucks, Chipotle, Bridgeport Harbor Marina and the yet-to-be built affordable housing apartment building The August, and a 135-room hotel.
