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Council approves $103,272 capacitor bank purchase and three-year tree‑trimming contract extension
Summary
Bountiful City approved the power department's purchase of a capacitor bank for the Northwest Substation and a three-year extension of a contract with Diamond Tree for ongoing tree trimming to improve power reliability.
The Bountiful City Council on Jan. 28 approved two Power Department items discussed earlier that day at the Power Commission: the purchase of a capacitor bank for the Northwest Substation and a three-year contract extension with Diamond Tree for tree-trimming crews.
Power Director Alan Johnson described the capacitor bank as equipment that corrects power factor at the 138-kV substation and offsets VARs (reactive power) produced by motors and air-conditioning systems. The city solicited bids and staff recommended the low responsive bid from Control X Corporation (Virginia Transformer) for $103,272; Johnson said an alternate bid failed to meet required basic impulse level specifications for substation fault duty.
“...it basically aligns true power and apparent power and brings it back in so we have to supply the VARs,” Johnson said, describing the device’s role in maintaining system power factor within the city’s reliability standards.
Councilmember made the motion to approve the purchase; the motion was seconded and carried.
Johnson also described a three-year extension of the city’s contract with Diamond Tree Experts for two contracted three-person crews who perform year-round trimming. The extension uses a tiered price increase (3% the first year, 3% the second year, 2% the third year). Johnson said the program has reduced tree-related outages and is budgeted in the capital account and upcoming budget work.
A council motion to extend the Diamond Tree contract passed unanimously.
Why it matters: the capacitor bank purchase is part of the city’s investment in substation reliability and to meet power-factor requirements. The tree-trimming contract is an operational measure the power department credits with reducing weather- and tree-related outages.
What’s next: staff will complete procurement and onboarding for the capacitor bank and continue to deploy contract crews per schedule; contract managers will incorporate the approved price adjustments into city budgeting.
Votes at a glance: - Purchase of capacitor bank (Control X Corporation / Virginia Transformer) for $103,272: motion made and approved (Power Commission recommended). - Three-year extension of Diamond Tree Experts contract (two crews): motion made and approved (price adjustments 3%/3%/2%).
