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BELD completes major phase of construction project under Route I-93 Braintree Electric Light Department (BELD) works hard to prevent power outages, but certain things are out of the utility’s control—small animals can damage equipment, automobile accidents can bring down utility poles, and severe weather can disrupt electric service. One way BELD can reduce outages is to ensure that electricity will reach customers from more than one direction via multiple high-voltage “feeders.” “If the primary feeder is damaged and power goes out, BELD may be able to restore electricity via an alternate feeder from another direction,” explained Joe Morley, BELD Engineering Manager. “Our goal is to have multiple feeders wherever possible, thereby reducing the chances of extended widespread power outages.” Wood Road and Brooks Drive, situated on either side of Interstate 93, were two key commercial areas in Braintree that challenged that goal, and BELD needed to create a connection between the two so power could flow from either direction in the event of an outage. Although BELD is part of the New England transmission grid and supplies power to its customers from either self-generation or external power purchases from the grid, its 13,800-volt distribution system is self-contained. Similar to a human hand, BELD’s high-voltage feeders originate from the palm (a substation) and distribute power to different areas by way of the fingers. If a problem occurs on a feeder at the beginning of a finger, power is out along the entire finger until the problem is fixed. This project will allow BELD to connect two major fingers at the tips, thus providing an alternate route to service customers. Working closely with the Braintree Water & Sewer Department, BELD recently completed the most challenging phase of this major construction project by installing two large-diameter pipes—using specialized horizontal drilling techniques—550 feet long and 25 feet below the heavily traveled Route I-93/128 roadway. One pipe, 14" in diameter, will contain multiple smaller pipes that will carry BELD’s electrical, CATV, and fiber optic services. A 12" diameter pipe will be used by the Water & Sewer Department for a water main. “When the project is completed,” said Water & Sewer Department Executive Director Paul Wohler, “we will have eliminated hydraulic dead ends on Wood Road and Brooks Drive and substantially upgraded service to the area, including greatly enhanced fire protection systems.” Engineers from both municipal departments worked closely to minimize the impact on area businesses and—in spite of the magnitude of the project—were able to ensure that construction would be as unobtrusive as possible and completed in a timely manner. The result is a win/win situation for Route I-93/128 commuters, Braintree’s Wood Road and Brooks Drive businesses, and the town’s electric, water and fire departments. Braintree Electric Light Department (BELD) is a nonprofit public power utility, owned and operated by the citizens of Braintree for more than 110 years. BELD Broadband has offered high-speed Internet service since 1998 and cable television service since 2000. << Back |
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