Substation Location: Intersection of Scott County Road 42 and Highway 13
Members Served: nearly 4,000
2022 service interruptions involving squirrel contacts:
Power interruptions are the result of squirrels entering the substation and interfering with equipment. The duration of the outage is dependent on the extent of the damage within the substation. The following substation equipment is vulnerable to squirrel/animal contact: transformers, insulators, bus bars, and breakers.
Other mitigation efforts being reviewed:
Option 1: Install interior fence barrier – $47,000
Lead Time: 3 – 4 weeks
Pros:
• A track record of success
• Quick install
• Move to other Subs, if needed
Cons:
• Substation layout/land-limited space
Option 2: Install insulated barrier – $495,000
Lead Time: 12 – 14 weeks (substation back feed required)
Pros:
• Mitigate contact points
Cons:
• Difficulty to see failures
• Removal (repairs)
Option 3: Install Metal clad switchgear – $1.3M
Lead Time: 24 months (major rebuild)
Pros
• Long-term solution
• Advanced relaying
• Salt mitigation
• Feeder exits (replacement)
Cons• High cost
• Major construction
• Back feeding timelines
• Lead Time – Quarter 3 of 2024
MVEC values service reliability, quality, and providing members with exceptional service and will continue to be proactive to protect substation equipment, including consultation with other utilities to learn best practices.
