Atlantic City Electric Energizing 3 Major Projects to Enhance Reliability

Projects part of the company’s larger effort to make the regional energy grid more reliable and more resilient

Atlantic City Electric is completing work on three major infrastructure projects that will improve reliability for hundreds of thousands of customers. The Orchard to Lewis substation and transmission line upgrades spanning Salem County to Atlantic County, the Monroe to Tansboro transmission line upgrades in Camden and Gloucester counties, and the Rio Grande substation enhancement project in Cape May County are all part of the company’s ongoing efforts to modernize and enhance the local energy grid and make it more resilient to better serve customers across southern New Jersey.

“We are seeing the impacts of more frequent and more severe storms that are bringing stronger and more damaging winds and extreme flooding throughout our communities,” said Gary Stockbridge, Atlantic City Electric region president. “These new projects are critical upgrades to the local energy grid and represent a broader effort underway across our service area to modernize our energy infrastructure and making it more resilient against these powerful storms and the growing threats from extreme weather.”

Atlantic City Electric has completed the Orchard to Lewis substation and transmission line upgrades, replacing 41 miles of transmission line between the Orchard substation in Salem County and the Lewis substation in Atlantic County. The project improves reliability for more than half of the company’s 556,000 customers and included several substantial transmission system upgrades and substation upgrades across five counties and 13 municipalities.

The project also improves transmission line capabilities from 138 to 230 kilovolts, providing increased power transmission to benefit customers. Additionally, crews installed new modern electric devices and used innovative technologies to further improve system reliability and resiliency. As part of this work, crews used an Erickson SkyCrane helicopter to install stronger steel transmission poles and to remove existing lattice transmission towers. Using a helicopter minimized the environmental impact in completing the work and provided a more efficient and safer option for crews when access to energy infrastructure was limited.

The Monroe to Tansboro transmission line upgrades will improve reliability for more than 83,000 customers in Camden and Gloucester counties. This project upgrades more than 8 miles of existing transmission line through portions of Winslow and Monroe townships. Crews are installing new, state-of-the-art steel utility poles capable of withstanding winds up to 120 miles per hour, stronger aerial transmission line cable, switches, and other modern electric devices to enhance service for customers in the area.

The Rio Grande substation enhancement project will improve reliability for thousands of customers in Middle and Lower townships in Cape May County. The project consists of upgrading a substation located on Route 47 in Rio Grande. Crews are installing new electric equipment, including three new transformers, new devices that are used to control and protect the equipment at the site, animal guarding, and a new control building that exceeds flood level elevation requirements.

Atlantic City Electric is undertaking dozens of other targeted reliability projects in communities throughout its service area. These upgrades continue to improve reliability for customers by reducing the frequency and duration of outages. Many of these infrastructure projects focus on strengthening local energy infrastructure against more frequent and severe weather to help communities across South Jersey become more resilient to the impacts of storms and hurricanes.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

PBF Energy Creates West Coast System with Purchase of Shell Martinez Refinery

Gary B. Crosby Named Eighth President of Saint Elizabeth University

The Benefits of Exit Interviews