New high voltage switch yard at Wilson Reservation – Some 21st Century tech at 100 year old power producer

by Steve Wiggins
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TENNESSEE VALLEY RESERVATION – People driving their cars and trucks over Wilson Dam between Lauderdale and Colbert Counties have probably noticed a huge construction project across the street from the Power House electrical substation. This week, Public and Community Relations Representative, Scott Fiedler took the News Media on a tour of what will be a state-of-the-art power substation which will augment the nearly 100 year-old existing facility.

Scott Fiedler, TVA

The old substation, built in the 1920’s when Wilson Dam became the 1st hydro-power generating facility on the Tennessee river, has been renovated and added on to numerous times since it was first built. It was the nexus of the electrical power distribution system that almost single-handedly brought the sleepy rural South into the 20th Century. But for years now, the old substation has been showing its age. And TVA engineers have been planning to upgrade the power distribution system here (and at other TVA electrical generating plants) to 21st Century tech.

TVA Engineer Jason Smith

The substation will be completed sometime in 2021 and will augment and improve electrical power distribution from Wilson Dam with the latest innovations of power monitoring and computer-control in the world. As most people are already aware, electricity generation is already vastly interconnected between power generation facilities. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that much of the switching and interconnection is still done by older methods with some added computer-based assistance.

Lloyd Perrigin, Substation Project Manager

This technology has been changing rapidly in the 21st Century, and TVA has been at the forefront in adopting efficient, safe, reliable and secure power generation and distribution.

So, what you will be seeing along Reservation Road near the Power House is evidence of TVA’s commitment to stay on the cutting edge of efficient, reliable power for its customers.

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