by Kate Shunney
Drivers along Cacapon Road in western Morgan County have encountered excavation work activity in the last month. The work is associated with the construction of a new electric substation by FirstEnergy, parent company of Potomac Edison, the local power utility.
The Morgan County Planning Commission approved plans for the project on May 8.
Last October, planners approved a waiver for the width and slope of the access road to the substation, to allow for a slightly steeper grade to reach the electric utility site. Access to the substation will be gated and no public traffic will be permitted on the access road.
According to a site plan filed in the Morgan County Planning Office, contractors for FirstEnergy will build a 20 to 30-ft. wide access road from Cacapon Road to the western portion of a 19-acre lot owned by Potomac Edison. The electrical substation will be located in that rear portion of the property.
Construction will disturb 6.5 acres of the lot, according to site plans. Some parking spaces will be built for the unmanned substation. Engineers indicate there will be no exterior lighting that shines onto nearby properties.
In response to question from The Morgan Messenger about the project, a spokesman for FirstEnergy said the estimated cost for construction of the new substation is $4 million.
The new substation, expected to be complete and in service in 2025, will serve 1,800 customers in West Virginia and Maryland.
“It will replace an existing substation near Great Cacapon that is fed by a six-mile, 34.5-kV power line that traverses rocky, mountainous terrain and is challenging to access for repairs and maintenance. The new substation will be located close to an existing 138-kV power line and is being constructed in order to enhance reliability and reduce the number and duration of outages experienced by area customers,” said FirstEnergy officials.
The existing substation is served by a hard-to-reach power line, making it difficult to make repairs when severe weather causes damage, the company said. Moving 1,800 customers to the new substation along the more accessible line will reduce outages and make restoration easier in the event of an incident, the company spokesman said.
