New England Power Company Snake Hill Road Substation
At a glance
- What: New England Power Company (National Grid) applied to the Planning Board for a special permit and site plan to build the permanent Snake Hill Substation No. 2235 at 29/39 Snake Hill Road, serving the Amazon warehouse.
- Where it stands: Planning Board approved September 16, 2026. Conservation Commission closed its hearing September 22.
- Next: the order of conditions is to be issued within 1-2 weeks (one commissioner wanted more time).
Process
- The application was continued through several meetings before Planning Board approval.
- The Conservation Commission wetlands review followed.
Discussion time
About 60 minutes across 4 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-22 - Conservation Commission Meeting | 22 |
| 2026-09-16 - Planning Board Meeting | 14 |
| 2026-08-12 - Planning Board Meeting | 0 |
| 2026-07-15 - Planning Board Meeting | 24 |
Log
2026-09-22 — 2026-09-22 - Conservation Commission Meeting
Conservation Commission (DEP file 128-2029) closed the hearing over one commissioner's request for more time; the agent will issue the order of conditions in 1-2 weeks. Culvert redesigned as a three-sided open-bottom box culvert (no stream bed/bank impacts; ~200-256 sq ft bordering vegetated wetland fill; ~28,000 sq ft tree removal). Army Corps 404 approved July 28 (re-verification needed for the new culvert). Special condition: supplemental test pits near the basin.
2026-09-16 — 2026-09-16 - Planning Board Meeting
Board approved the special permit and site plan for the New England Power Company facility at 29/39 Snake Hill Road (power station).
2026-08-12 — 2026-08-12 - Planning Board Meeting
New England Power Co. site plan continued to September 16.
2026-07-15 — 2026-07-15 - Planning Board Meeting
Public hearing opened for the permanent Snake Hill Substation No. 2235 at 29 Snake Hill Rd, serving the Amazon facility (~49,300 sq ft yard, 864 sq ft control house, 750 ft driveway extension, ~150,000 sq ft of disturbance). The temporary 2023 substation is to be decommissioned (the fenced compound may remain). Board asked for temporary-station paperwork, decommissioning, security, wildlife corridor and screening details; continued to August 12 pending Graves peer-review items (lighting/landscape sheet). A Conservation hearing was held the same night.