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East Boston residents: Electrical substation is "ticking time bomb"

East Boston residents are fighting the state over an electrical substation trying to be built in their neighborhood.

Neighbors call the proposed substation a 'ticking time bomb' and are concerned because it would go right next to the huge fuel tanks along the Chelsea Creek.

More than one dozen demonstrators protested Eversource's proposed electrical substation in East Boston's Eagle Hill neighborhood.

"It doesn't seem like it makes much sense to have an electrical power grid right next to eight million gallons of jet fuel on a sit that is proposed to flood," said neighbor Roseann Bongiovanni.

The proposal also includes two underground transmission lines from Everett and Chelsea that will connect to the substation.

"We have planes flying over us. Our kids are interrupted. We have salt pipes, the highest rate of childhood hospital conditions in the state. A substation we don't even know the health impact in our community, on top of everything else. It just doesn't seem fair," said Chelsea City Councilor Damali Vidot.

Eversource stands behind its proposal, telling Boston 25 News the substation is much needed in Eastie:

"To support the East Boston area’s current and future electricity needs, we’ve determined that we need to add additional substation and transmission capacity as soon as possible. Our proposed substation in the East Eagle neighborhood of East Boston would ensure customers in the area will continue to have reliable electric power. It will also ensure that the area’s electric grid conforms to national and regional reliability standards."

The state's Energy Facilities Sitting Board voted to move forward with the proposal.