Study: Milton distribution largely sound but flags 53‑year‑old substation transformer, IT gaps and backup-tie needs

Milton — Consultants from Quanta Technology told the Milton City Council study session on Sept. 8 that the city’s electric distribution “looks pretty good” under normal conditions but identified near‑term vulnerabilities that require planning and capital work. The presentation urged the city to pursue a replacement for the Surprise Lake substation transformer, improve interconnections with Puget Sound Energy (PSE), and complete several information‑technology and asset‑management upgrades.

The finding matters because a transformer failure or loss of external backup will leave Milton’s utility without a spare at the Surprise Lake substation, potentially forcing longer outages or reliance on external ties that are changing. “The Surprise Lake substation transformer is very old. It’s 53 years old,” Don Hall, executive adviser for Quanta Technology, said during the presentation. Hall and colleague Elliot Tanis described recommended capital and IT work that they say will allow the utility to serve customers reliably through 2035 if implemented.

Quanta’s analysis combined…