Earlier this month, we reported the formation of a substation design work group. They are tasked with developing a mutually acceptable design for a substation Duke-Energy would like to locate on their newly acquired property along Clingman Ave between Patton and Hilliard Avenues. The work group created development guidance criteria and produced multiple substation design scenarios. Duke-Energy has now completed feasibility studies of those scenarios and presented their conclusions to the work group stakeholders August 16.
Feasibility studies considered design scenarios using either Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) technology or Air Insulated Substation (AIS) technology. Ultimately, GIS design scenarios were concluded as the best choice. While GIS equipment is more costly, it requires less than half the development property resulting in a multitude of benefits that help accomplish scorecard goals. If you remember, the score card’s primary concern was to judge if the development would allow utilization and activation of the site’s perimeter; keep the transformer equipment out of site and invisible as possible, protect adjacent neighbors from consequential impacts and insure mutual community benefits in accordance with master development plans in place.
Achieving scorecard criteria with the smaller GIS footprint, makes it reasonable to house the equipment in a building walled off from sight and to locate the substation where it will have a lesser impact on adjacent neighbors. Generous landscape buffers beyond the central station are also possible. It importantly allows gateway appropriate development of the excess property separate from the substation and could allow widening Clingman Ave from Patton to Hilliard Avenues lessening traffic congestion.
The Design work group plans further work focused on detailing GIS concept options such as exact substation placement and aesthetic details. Future meeting dates are planned as follows and note they include a public information session.
August 23: Evaluate and rank scenarios using scorecard
September 6: Finalize rankings and reach consensus
TBA week of September 18: Public neighborhood meeting.
For More Information:
Please join us at the upcoming WECAN board meeting September 7th held at Mountain Housing Opportunities on Merritt St. You are also welcome to email questions to Lynn Hall, lahall78@gmail.com. We will continue to post updates on Nextdoor, Facebook and the WECAN Blog, http://wecannews.
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