For years, several city of Akron industrial customers, including the University of Akron, received electric service from a single, radial 138kV transmission line. Our client recognized that a more reliable solution was necessary and possible. GPD was consulted to design and convert the existing substation into a five-breaker ring bus and looped in an adjacent 138 kV transmission line as an additional source.

Site constraints such as a navigable waterway, a historic railroad crossing, a well-visited public park and a historic area with an underground raceway made bringing a second transmission line into the crowded space challenging. Our transmission and substation design teams, geotechnical team, and environmental team partnered with our client’s survey team to identify the optimal line route and substation layout to minimally impact the project area. Transmission structure locations were strategically selected to meet code requirements while avoiding the culturally sensitive areas. Steel pole construction was used for all new structures and an existing lattice tower, serving as a centerpiece to the park, was re-configured and re-used.  

As a result, the expanded substation is now served by three separate transmission lines; several large customers downtown are provided with a reliable power source and increased operational flexibility to ensure lines are maintained in the future to further reduce electric outage potential.