Portland is Getting a New Electric Substation

The City of Portland is building a new electric substation near Grant Street on the Looking Glass River (behind Portland Party Store). It will serve the city for many decades. City Manager Andrew Dymczyk and Electric Department Superintendent Todd Davlin were available to answer questions for the Portland Beacon.

“A substation is a point of interconnection between two voltages,” said City Manager Dymczyk. “It's a hub that manages the flow of electricity, making it safe and usable for homes, businesses and industries."

The city has been discussing the project for ten years with formal planning underway for the past five years. Actual construction of the new substation began in March of this year.

“We’re replacing a 50-year-old substation that’s nearing the end of its useful life,” said Davlin. “The new substation transforms power to a standard lower voltage. Because it’s brand new, it significantly reduces the risk of unplanned outages.” According to Davlin, the new substation will also enable the city to gradually transition to a single voltage across its distribution system over the next five years. “In the long run, this change allows us to maintain a uniform inventory of parts and fully utilize our existing infrastructure. That increased capacity gives us the electrical headroom to support new homes and businesses,” he said.

The new substation will allow the city’s power to grow within the existing circuits. It will allow the city to add homes and businesses to the current system as the city grows.

Dymczyk noted that Consumers Energy is not able to build the substation on the city’s behalf. “In the interest of our residents, the city is taking the lead,” he said. “We’re proactively building the infrastructure we need to ensure reliable service for years to come.”

Davlin agreed, emphasizing that the most important benefit of the project is continued reliability. “Our citizens have come to expect dependable electric service,” he said. “If we didn’t replace the existing substation, we’d be facing unplanned and uncontrolled outages down the line.”

Another advantage of the new system is that it will allow for easier maintenance of the facility. This itself will improve reliability and thus avoid outages of power to the city.

“We’re confident in the benefits of this project,” said Dymczyk. “When we can proactively replace critical infrastructure, it’s a major win for the city. It lowers long-term costs and helps us avoid expensive emergency repairs. It’s a smart investment that saves money for taxpayers.”

When asked to summarize the motivation behind the project, Davlin was clear: “It’s about keeping the lights on—reliably and affordably.”

Residents of Portland who have questions about the new substation and about the advantages it will offer to the city may consult the city’s website. They may also contact City Manager Andrew Dymczyk at (517) 647-2931 or Electric Department Superintendent Todd Davlin at (517) 647-6912.