FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2007
Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) – Contact: Kerrick Johnson (802) 770-6166
Green Mountain Power (GMP) – Contact: Dottie Schnure (802) 655-8418
Burlington Electric Department (BED) – Contact: Mary Sullivan (802) 865-7417
Transmission Project Proposal Sent to Local Communities for Review
First Project in State to Meet New Public Engagement Requirements
Burlington, Vermont – Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), Burlington Electric Department (BED) and Green Mountain Power (GMP) are providing a packet of detailed information on the East Avenue Loop Transmission Upgrade project to six Chittenden County communities and other affected stakeholders for their review and comment. The utilities will review any comments before they file a formal request to construct the project, with the Public Service Board. In accordance with a new Board rule, “pre-filing packets” regarding the East Avenue Loop Project were sent to officials in Burlington, Colchester, Essex, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski, as well as the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Winooski Valley Park District and others. The packets include project construction information to enable community leaders to review and discuss the project’s impacts with residents, and to provide input before the start of formal proceedings before the Board.
According to VELCO’s Vice President of External Affairs Kerrick Johnson, “In addition to necessary reliability benefits, the East Avenue Loop Project holds the promise of removing a portion of lines and other facilities from Burlington’s waterfront and of burying some newly proposed lines.” He also noted the project stays within the existing transmission corridors to minimize environmental impacts.
More specifically, the East Avenue Loop Project proposes to: install two (2) 115 kV circuits of single-pole construction from the Essex substation in northern Williston to the East Avenue substation in Burlington and remove the existing 115 kV line; upgrade the existing East Avenue VELCO substation; build a new 1.5 mile, 34.5 kV line from East Avenue to the McNeil Generating Plant, with underground sections; upgrade the McNeil substation and relocate BED’s Lake Street substation to McNeil. The Project also will allow BED to remove, relocate or underground its remaining waterfront aerial distribution lines between the Moran Plant and Maple Street.
While the Public Service Board now requires these pre-filing packets, this was just one of many public engagement steps to inform and consult with the public about this project. Beginning in September, three key stakeholder meetings, two open houses, and a number of one-on-one discussions were held to increase the comfort level of neighbors and communities and to ensure the project reflects local concerns and priorities where possible. Additional meetings with local officials continue to be scheduled and another open house will be held in April. According to Johnson, “This public engagement process has worked well so far. We plan to apply the lessons we have learned from this process to future VELCO projects around the state so that all Vermont will benefit from the experience.”
The project follows more than two years of utility analysis, with at least 20 different transmission options investigated from a technical perspective. Recently, more than $25 million was invested in conservation and efficiency in this area. Scott Mallory, a project manager at VELCO, said: “The project design selected and shared with Vermonters is the lowest cost and most environmentally sound option to address Chittenden County’s significant reliability concerns."
After reviewing the pre-filing packet, municipal and regional planning commissions can make recommendations to the Public Service Board and to the petitioners until April 9th, 2007. Commissions may also make revised recommendations within 45 days of the petition filing, if the petition contains new or more detailed information not previously included in the plans for construction provided in this pre-filing packet. The packet contains information regarding:
• Project Description, Justification and Options Summary
• Project Constraints and Mitigation of Impacts
• Construction Plans
• Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures
• State and Municipal Impacts
The companies have targeted a mid-April timeframe for filing for approval with the Public Service Board, a process estimated to last almost a year. If approved by the Board and other permitting agencies, construction will take approximately two years.
For more information on the project please go to VELCO’s website at www.velco.com/projects/eastaveloop or call: Scott Mallory at (802) 770-6319.
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