PSC approves line expansion

Friday, Sept. 11, 2009

SMECO has said the expansion is necessary to avoid future brownouts and meet the county's growing energy needs while providing the co-op flexibility to move electricity around and isolate power outages.

In 2005, an underwater SMECO line that extends from Calvert to St. Mary's alongside the Gov. Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge failed, which made it very difficult for SMECO to keep lights on in southern Calvert. The upgraded line will help SMECO avoid a similar situation in the future, spokesman Tom Dennison said.

"This is a big milestone for SMECO. Why this is so important is that SMECO has demonstrated not only that the project is needed but that the project is going to be built in an environmentally sensitive way and that the experts, not only in engineering but in environmental and natural resources, have all confirmed that this project is necessary for Southern Maryland to have reliable power going into the future," Dennison said. "This is a huge win for Calvert County."

SMECO's customer base has tripled and energy usage has gone up five fold in the past 30 years, according to a release. Electricity demand is expected to continue rising.

As planned, construction will begin in 2012 and wrap up in 2015 with a price tag of about $100 million.

"Our customer-members expect reliable power. We are obligated and duty-bound to construct the necessary facilities that will ensure our customers' needs are met," SMECO President and CEO A. Joseph Slater Jr., said in the release. "By following the same route as the current line and staying within the existing rights-of-way, this project will have a minimal effect on current rates or the environment."

Penned the Southern Maryland Reliability Project, the upgraded line will stretch from the Holland Cliff Switching Station in Huntingtown to the Hewitt Road Switching Station in Lexington Park.

As part of the project, a new switching station is planned for a 39-acre parcel near the intersection of Sollers Wharf and Pardoe roads in Lusby. The station will occupy about 10 acres and the remaining space will be covered with trees to shield the station from view.

While the PSC approved SMECO's application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, it did so with the condition that SMECO also receive approval for any potential alternate routes and notify the PSC and all parties if the Rural Utility Service requires any changes to the project's plans. SMECO does not anticipate re-routing the line, Dennison said.

The project has been supported by county government but met resistance from some residents, particularly those nearby the Holland Cliff station, who worry the expansion will have negative aesthetic and safety effects. Some local environmentalists have also questioned whether the county needs more energy.

jnewman@somdnews.com