UI Leads Local Community Leaders on Electric Infrastructure Tours
Policymakers and other local community leaders are invited to tour substations and electricity generation facilities to learn about critical assets
UI team and members of the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) tour GenConn facility in Milford
ORANGE, Conn. — August 22, 2025 — Today, United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., announced a series of tours offered to policymakers to gain insight into the critical role the infrastructure plays in UI’s commitment to safe and reliable service. Tours took place at GenConn, the 200 MW peaking plant in Milford co-owned by UI, on August 7 and at the Singer 345 kilovolt (kV) substation and 115kV Congress Street substation in Bridgeport on August 14. Additional tours are being planned for September.
“At UI, we place importance on showing the public first-hand the assets and processes in place that enables everyone in our communities to keep their lights on,” said Frank Reynolds, President & CEO of UI. “These tours offer a unique opportunity to learn about our operations and recent investments in our infrastructure. We look forward to continuing to educate local governments and community stakeholders, so they have a deeper understanding of the electric grid and how exactly we ensure safe and reliable service.”
The GenConn Devon power station is a Milford-based peaking plant that is a 50/50 joint venture between Clearway Energy, Inc. and UI. The power plant was developed in accordance with a law passed by the State of Connecticut’s General Assembly in 2007 (Public Act 07-242, Section 50), which sought a long-term solution to meet peaking needs. The facility only operates during times of high electricity usage, when there is a capacity shortage, or too little available electricity supply relative to demand. Several members of the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) attended a tour of GenConn on August 7.
The Singer Substation is a transmission-only substation that provides electricity to the local area as well as beyond in New England. A recent investment made on this site is the ongoing construction of a floodwall around the perimeter of the substation to protect it from severe weather events. The Congress Street Substation is a 115kV / 13.8kV air-insulated substation that taps two 115kV transmission lines between UI’s New Pequonnock and Baird Substations and supports a network of distribution circuits. Congress Street has completed a similar flood mitigation project and is now surrounded and protected by a floodwall built in 2024. Members of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), Save the Sound, and state legislators, including Representative Savet Constantine (D-42), toured the two substations on August 14.
"UI is committed to reliability for our customers, especially during times of peak demand," said Devang Patel, Senior Vice President of GenConn Energy LLC and General Manager at UI. "GenConn serves as a crucial back-up to support the grid, and we are able to give people an inside look into the required resources and operations that make it happen. We have been pleased with the attendance of our infrastructure tours and look forward to hosting additional tour groups in the coming weeks."
Upcoming tours will take place in late September. Those interested in joining may reach out to Ted Novicki, UI’s Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs (ted.novicki@uinet.com) and John Vamos, UI’s Vice President of State Government Relations (jvamos@uinet.com).
Media Contact:
Angela Baccaro