National Grid Plans $93m Investment to Update Overtaxed, Outdated Aquidneck Island Power System

Residents of Aquidneck Island have been buying energy efficient appliances, are switching to compact fluorescent and LED lightbulbs and are trying to conserve power, ever-mindful of the steadily-increasing cost of electricity

Yet the power system on Aquidneck Island is delivering more power than ever before and is stretched to its limits, according to National Grid officials.

Part of the reason is that despite advances in energy efficiency, people have a lot more stuff plugged into the walls these days. It’s not uncommon for a family of four to have multiple laptops, smartphones, tablets, several televisions and more. And more and more people are apparently unwilling to sweat it out or leave it to the breeze through an open window to stay cool in the summer -- Since 1990, peak summertime electricity usage on Aquidneck Island has increased by 50 megawatts — more than 33 percent since 1990 — to 147.

And recent forecasts show the demand could reach 167 megawatts in the near future. That 20 MW increase is enough power to serve about 3,000 homes for a year, according to National Grid.

The system is also decades-old, lacks the latest power system technology and outages take longer to fix than with more modern systems.

As a result, National Grid now has plans to overhaul the power system on the island and recently announced a $93 million improvement plan, which they say will provide the “most cost-effective and customer-sensitive solution for the island,” said Timothy F. Horan, president of National Grid in Rhode Island. “Our planned upgrades mean that all of our customers on the Island can expect that power will be more reliably delivered where and when it is needed and service restoration following interruptions will be accelerated.”

The planned upgrades include the construction of two substations, one each in Middletown and Newport. They will have remote operation capabilities.

The upgrades are also planned to include the reconfiguration of two high-voltage transmission lines located in the utility’s rights-of-way between Portsmouth and Middletown.

An “array” of local distribution work will also be performed, consisting of improvements to lines in the streets that connect to homes and businesses in Middletown and Newport.

“Completion of this work also means that five substations on the island will be deconstructed,” the company said in a release.

Residents are invited to a series of community information sessions. The first was in late January in Middletown. The next is Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at Portsmouth High School, 120 Education Lane.

According to a project overview,

• A new Jepson substation will be constructed in Middletown and upgraded from 69KV to 115KV, replacing an outdated facility built in the 1950s. The new substation will consist of two transformers supplying six 13.8kV feeders and two more supplying three 23kV supply lines.

• A new 69/13.8kV Newport substation will be built with a single transformer supplying four 13.8kV feeders, reconfiguring the area distribution system and adding 60MW of new 13.8kV capacity in Newport for greater electricity reliability in both Newport and southern Middletown.

• The Dexter substation will undergo a reconfiguration following the removal of some existing equipment. However, the substation footprint will remain intact.

• The North Aquidneck, South Aquidneck, Bailey Brook, Vernon, and Jepson substations will be retired from service, addressing some environmental and equipment deterioration concerns.

• Two transmission lines, Lines 61 and 62, located in National Grid-owned rights-of-way, will be upgraded from 69kV to 115kV.

• Replace and upgrade various parts of the local distribution system (the lines in the streets that tie into homes and businesses) in Middletown and Newport to ensure the more reliable delivery of electricity.

Work on the project is expected to begin in the fall of 2015 and finish sometime in 2020.

“Our commitment to this project goes beyond just replacing wires, poles and substations,” Horan said. “We’re also committed to minimizing disruptions to the lives of those who live and work on the Island. We want to open a dialogue with customers, businesses and the community and encourage them to reach out and engage in conversations with us.”

National Grid has launched a website dedicated to the project Check it out by clicking HERE.

Photo Courtesy: National Grid