Page 54: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2021)

Tech File

Innovative new products, technologies and concepts

ECOncrete Installs Cable Protection in Long Island Sound

December 2020 marked the deploy- ECOncrete Marine Mattresses will pro- ing up for full-scale deployment in the ment of ? fty 150-square-foot nature-in- vide ecosystem regeneration, serving tri-state area,” said Dr. Andrew Rella, clusive ECOncrete Marine Mattresses, as a habitat for Long Island Sound’s Global Director of Engineering, ECOn- providing large-scale armoring and pro- marine life, in addition to ful? lling the crete. tection for the Cross-Sound Cable, a 24 structural purpose of protecting the un- “For more than 50 years Eversource mile underwater electrical transmission derwater cable. This project is a major has operated high-voltage electric ca- cable under contract by Eversource and step to reduce the ecological footprint of bles under the Long Island Sound, sup- the Long Island Power Authority. Oper- offshore construction, such as changes porting the reliability needs of our cus- ated by PSEG Long Island, as agent to to native seabed ecosystems that can tomers in southwest Connecticut with

LIPA, the cable runs along the bed of result in the dominance of invasive and an additional power source,” said Ever- the Long Island Sound allowing elec- nuisance species. source Vice President of Electric Field tricity to be transmitted between Long This structural and ecological installa- Operations Don Boudreau. “It’s critical

Island and Connecticut. tion will also serve to improve account- to protect those cables to ensure the safe

The 6,250 square feet of mattresses ability to an increasingly environmen- delivery of power and the health and were developed by ECOncrete in part- tally conscious public. ECOncrete’s wellbeing of the Sound.” nership with Besser Company under the Marine Mattresses provide the means to “PSEG Long Island is pleased to be

BIRD Foundation funding framework minimize structural-environmental con- part of this innovative technology,” in 2016. ? icts, changing the way we build in wa- said John O’Connell, vice president of

This project is the ? rst full-scale de- ter, so our infrastructure is made stron- Transmission & Distribution at PSEG ployment of ECOncrete’s ecological ger by enabling ecosystems to thrive. Long Island. “Providing our custom-

Marine Mattresses after completed pilot “The use of ECOncrete’s Mattresses ers with safe and reliable power is very projects in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and for an offshore installation such as this important to us. The new ECOncrete’s

Neptune, New Jersey, having undergone will be a crucial case study for future Mattresses will not only protect the ca- comprehensive multi-year monitoring offshore works, especially at a time bles, it will help to provide a safe envi- efforts to provide ? eld validation. The when offshore wind energy is gear- ronment for our local marine life.”

Images courtesy ECOncrete 54 March/April 2021

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