Cane Creek Substation Work Takes Next Steps

Cookeville Electric Department will take the next steps on work at the Cane Creek Substation.

Director Carl Haney said the recently-approved $2 million bid marks the beginning of the construction project.

“In this, we will be recommended hiring a contractor that will come in and take out all of the old transformers, and a lot of the bus work a lot of the steel,” Haney said. “And then they’ll install the new ones that we have on order and some of the other equipment.”

Haney said that the substation provides power to three other stations in the city, so it plays a huge role in providing electricity to the city. Haney said he does not foresee the construction causing customer power issues. During the period of construction, Haney said they will route power through one of the other substations.

Haney said that the transformers to be upgraded are currently about two to three years out from their end-of-life, but they want to get the process started as quickly as possible.

“If something was to happen at our south substation that could affect power, we’re doing the construction on this such that it could be put back on power within an hour or two,” Haney said. “We’re still going to have our backup that’s in place while they do this construction, so not only are they not going to see anything, but if something should happen we’ll be fine with that backup in place.”