Putting quality service on the line

WFEC system improvements add efficiency, reliability
Since mid-2002, West Florida Electric Cooperative has been in the process of making extensive improvements to its electrical distribution system to deliver power more reliably and efficiently. Most of the measures fulfill a workplan WFEC staff and an engineering firm work jointly develop every three years. The projects outlined in the plan are intended to accommodate expected growth and alleviate potential problems on WFEC’s system.

WFEC completes the prescribed projects as cost-effectively as possible by accomplishing the majority of the work in-house. However, contractors assist with the portions of major construction projects that require equipment an electric co-op such as WFEC doesn’t normally have. WFEC’s crews perform all other workplan tasks, as well as pole change-outs, reinsulation, transformer and other equipment upgrades and right-of-way clearing that accompany the contractors’ work.

Under the current workplan, WFEC is converting several miles of single-phase powerlines to three-phase in various areas. This will help prevent overloading of lines by distributing the load among three circuits instead of one. So far, the Co-op has three-phased 6.5 miles of line in the Bethlehem area and three miles around Silver Lake. Additionally, WFEC has double circuited 1.1 miles out of the Campbellton substation to eliminate potential overloading and minimize the impact of an outage. WFEC is in the process of three-phasing three miles of line on Sylvania Plantation Road, between Two Egg and Greenwood, and 3.3 miles on Messer Road, east of Dellwood in Jackson County.

WFEC also has upgraded lines from 7,200 to 14,400 volts in areas around Alford, Chipley and Cottondale. Doubling the lines’ voltage not only can eliminate voltage drops, but also helps to reduce line loss, a problem for all electric utilities that occurs when the energy transmitted on a line converts to heat, thereby reducing power output.

WFEC’s substations have undergone recent improvements, as well. Earlier this year, WFEC’s power supplier, Alabama Electric Cooperative, upgraded the Dellwood substation from 3.75 mva to 7.5 mva. Also, AEC installed new equipment at the Chipley substation in April after three transformers faulted simultaneously – an extremely unusual occurrence.

WFEC is in the process of developing the next three year work plan and is preparing to enact other measures that will enhance service reliability. For instance, to help prevent large scale outages, WFEC will further sectionalize, or install additional devices that will limit the number of people affected by any one outage, on its system. The Co-op also is working to digitally map its system to more accurately reflect the location of lines and devices.

"We at WFEC work diligently toward the goal of providing the most reliable service possible," said WFEC Vice President of Engineering and Operations Ty Peel.. "Although severe weather and the Chipley substation transformer failure earlier this year caused several members to experience outages, we hope the improvements we’ve made recently will have a significant positive impact on service reliability."

In addition to electrical system improvements, right-of-way maintenance plays a role in providing dependable electric service. See next month’s Current Light Flashes for information about how WFEC’s right-of-way department is working to the reliability of your service.

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