Engineering Work Plan & Forecast
In anticipation of rapid account growth and facilities that are in some cases nearing the extent of their useful life, Tideland EMC’s board of directors gave the green light to accelerate expenditures on electric system improvements starting in 1998. Since that time we have invested more than $20 million in system improvements. Construction expenses cover four areas of operation: transmission, substation, distribution and consumer services. Highlights of the projects in each operational district including systemwide consumer services follow.
Engelhard District
Chronic problems with North Carolina Power's Fairfield
delivery point (where power actually changes hands from NCPower to TEMC) have resulted in
a power supply outage rate of 17.4 hours per consumer in the Engelhard District. Mutual
aid plans that allow TEMC personnel to identify and repair problems along the NCPower
system have been marginally beneficial. Therefore, Tideland will abandon the Fairfield
delivery point in the next four years and the Engelhard District will receive its power
from a 115kV circuit that originates at TEMC's Pantego substation. The circuit will run to
a new Lake Mattamuskeet substation (substation cost: $1.372 million) where it will be
stepped down to 35kV. From there a new transmission line will go from the Lake
Mattamuskeet substation to the existing Fairfield substation. A total of 24.7 miles of new
transmission line will be built.
Project cost: $9 million Completed: December 10, 2001
NC Department of Transportation will install power line attachment inserts on the new
Croatan Sound Bridge currently under construction. The inserts will make it possible for
TEMC to run power lines from Manteo to serve the members of mainland Dare County.
Construct a new substation at Manns Harbor and tie in to a new NC Power delivery point in
Manteo. It
is six miles from the new delivery point in Manteo to the site of the
Cost: $1.5 million Completed: January 29, 2003
Grantsboro District
A second circuit will be run from the Silver Hill substation
along Highway 33 in Pamlico County to the Fairfield Harbour area in Craven County to
alleviate load problems. We will also replace a single-phase underwater cable to the area
with a three-phase cable to accommodate continuing growth in the area.
Project cost: $400,000 Completed in
2000
Rebuild approximately twenty miles of power line between Cypress Landing and the Edward
substation. Building four miles of new power line in the area as well. Extensive tree
trimming in the area prior to construction.
Project cost: $1 million Start Date: November 2002
Completion: Summer 2003
Pantego District
Upgrade the 35kV line that runs 10.1 miles from the Five
Points Substation across Highway 32 to the Washington Substation in the River Road area to
115kV.
Project cost: $1.75 million Completed in 2001
Convert the Pantego 12.5kV circuit to 25kV and relocate the Pantego transformer to the
Sidney substation. Upon completion we will have in place an alternate feeder to the Sidney
substation which is essential since the existing feeder crosses both the Pantego and Pungo
Creeks with underwater cable.
Project cost: $768,800 Completed in
2001
Ocracoke District
The sole connection between Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands is
a 3.5 mile, 35kV underwater cable installed approximately 12 years ago. To date the line
has been spliced eight times and the continual shifting of sand in the channel bottom has
exposed the cable in many locations. A second cable will be installed and buried
approximately six feet below the channel bottom.
Project cost: $1.255 million Completed in 1999