In an effort to provide more reliable power service, the Town of Smithfield has purchased a second transformer for the Brogden Road Power Substation. The second transformer was originally designed for the substation when it went online nearly 10 years ago but was eliminated due to financial constraints at the time.
The Brogden Road Power Substation currently has only one transformer. Should that transformer fail it could be weeks or months before it could be repaired. If that happens it could leave a large section of South Smithfield in the dark.
Town leaders took that information into consideration when they approved spending $725,180 towards the purchase of a transformer Feb. 2nd from GE, the low bidder.
The transformer will take just over 6 months to built. It will not be delivered until August or September according to interim utilities director Pete Connet. Due to lower costs for copper and other metals, the transformer cost less than the $1 million budgeted for its purchase, Connet said.
Once in place it will increase the reliability of the Smithfield electric system, while allowing the existing Brogden Road transformer to be taken off-line for service should it be necessary, without causing a power outage. Photos courtesy Town of Smithfield
