Upgrades to various substations in the Danville Utilities service territory are continuing.
Today, a new transformer was delivered to the Kentuck substation. The installation will be complete in four to six weeks, and when finished, it will provide greater reliability. The existing transformer was installed in 1969.
Work on the Whitmell substation is also underway and will be completed by the first of November.
Danville Utilities operates 15 substations and has been aggressively upgrading its system over the past five years. Upgrades at the Bridge Street, Brantley, Schoolfield and Riverside substations are complete.
Engineering is complete on the Southside and Westover substations, with most of the equipment on order for the project, to begin this fall.
Also, last month, the City Council voted to approve the purchase of 42.85 acres of property adjacent to the West Fork electrical substation in the Brosville community. The purchase will allow for expansion of the substation and add a fourth delivery point from Appalachian Power.
The West Fork project is in the engineering phase. Construction could begin late this year or in early 2022, with the facility completed by the middle of 2023.
The West Fork substation sits on about five acres on Long Circle, off U.S. 58, and serves more than 2,500 customers in southwestern Pittsylvania County and southeastern Henry County. The expansion will increase reliability and provide additional switching capabilities during maintenance and unplanned outage events.
The expansion also will provide a fourth delivery or receiving point for power from the transmission grid operated by Appalachian Power. of the transmission. Whether energy is purchased from Appalachian Power or another source, every kilowatt of electricity used by Danville Utilities is delivered from Appalachian Power’s grid.
Danville Utilities’ existing delivery points for Appalachian Power are off Kentuck Road, at Riverside Drive and Arnett Boulevard, and at the Danville Utilities location at Monument Street.