INVESTING IN reliable POWER

In April, our Milford Substation in Milford Township received a new transformer, which was safely unloaded using a heavy-lift crane and multiple crew members. Members in Milford, Oxford, and Somers townships receive power from this substation.

The new transformer cost $433,000 and increased the capacity of the substation from 12 5 megawatts to 20 megawatts. The increased capacity at the substation was identified as needed in the cooperative’s long-range plan due to potential development in the area. It also provides additional backup capability.

The transformer previously used at our Milford Substation was moved to our West Alexandria Substation in Madison Township. The West Alexandria Substation serves members in Madison, German, and Wayne townships.

Our West Alexandria Substation received the transformer from our Milford Substation due to the deteriorating condition of West Alexandria Substation’s transformer. West Alexandria Substation’s transformer was identical to the transformer that failed at our Tolbert Substation last year and was showing deteriorating oil test results. We replaced the transformer with one of the same capacity so members continue to receive the electricity they depend on.

The cost to move the transformer from our Milford Substation to our West Alexandria Substation was $22,000. Preparing the transformer for the move and pre- and post-move testing cost an additional $14,500. Members continued to receive electricity during both transitions thanks to our investment in technology like supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA. This technology enables our employees to monitor our system for safety and reliability.

One of the multiple benefits of SCADA is remote automated switching. With this technology, our employees can change which substation members receive power from in order to reduce outage times and perform maintenance safely. We used automated switching while replacing each transformer.

Thanks to long-term planning, the co-op is a leader in technology. Overloaded substations have a high frequency of failure and could cause power quality issues like blinks during peak times. Because Butler Rural

Electric Cooperative owns 16 substations, members receive continued, reliable power even when the demand for electricity increases.

Employees from the co-op’s engineering and operations departments have been committed to these projects for months — supervising the construction, move, and installation of both.

“This substantial project is a testament to our investments in our electric system,” says Mike Murray, director of operations. “Our members can count on us to deliver the best service possible. It’s the cooperative difference.”