Transmission & Distribution
Maryland Co-op Boosts Load
A Maryland cooperative is adding commercial and industrial accounts by acquiring the distribution facilities of public institutions in its service territory.
SMECO lineworkers Jeff Mayor (left) and Larry Hayden work on a transformer at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station as construction and operations manager George Young looks on. (Photo By: SMECO)
Maryland state officials recently granted Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative the right officials to acquire the electric system of publicly funded St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The 319-acre campus along the banks of Maryland’s St. Mary’s River serves about 2,000 students.
“This agreement benefits the college by getting us out of the business of maintaining an electrical infrastructure system,” said Charles Jackson, associate vice president of the college. “SMECO will maintain the system and make improvements to enhance its reliability.”
Smart meters will be installed on every building on the campus. That’s expected to improve overall efficiency and reduce energy usage, said Kenneth Capps, senior vice president of engineering and operations at SMECO.
“The smart metering technology will be a significant factor in allowing the campus to save energy,” Capps said. “The equipment upgrades will enhance reliability and safety.”
The acquisition is the latest in a series of agreements for the Hughesville-based co-op designed to significantly boost its commercial-industrial load, said Tom Dennison, SMECO’s government and public affairs manager.
“We worked for eight years to obtain the rights to privatize service at the U.S. Navy’s Patuxent River Naval Air Station,” Dennison said.
In March of 2009, SMECO signed an agreement to privatize the facilities at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. The site is home to the 70-acre Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship.
In less than six months, SMECO replaced a mile of three-phase underground cable, 18 transformers and metering equipment, Dennison said.
“These facilities have been served by the co-op on a bulk meter basis, but after decades of use, their equipment is outdated and costly to maintain,” Dennison said. “The upgrades also make the facilities safer for the institutions and for our personnel.”
Large facilities are major employers and serving them will help SMECO build up its overall system, while controlling costs, Dennison said. “Load growth provides resources for us to build up capital to better serve our 150,000 consumer-members.”