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Consultants present electric master plan; CEC recommends phased upgrades and new substation by 2030
Summary
Consultants from CEC presented a task‑order study modeling Claremore’s electric grid to 2030 and recommended capacity upgrades, feeder conversions, phase balancing, fuse coordination, feeder ties and a new substation (Substation 6). Staff will develop phased costs and a multi‑year capital project plan.
Consultants from CEC presented the results of a task‑order evaluation of Claremore’s electric distribution system and offered a phased approach to address capacity, voltage quality and reliability through 2030.
Paul Reese, distribution engineering lead at CEC, told the City Council the study modeled the city’s records and load growth and identified constrained circuits, phase imbalances, voltage drops at system extremities and insufficient fault isolation in some areas. "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there," Reese said, summarizing the urgency of planning for growth.
CEC engineer Justin Blue described mitigation steps: converting single‑phase laterals to three‑phase where appropriate, upgrading feeder conductors to reduce voltage drop, installing voltage regulators at targeted locations, improving fuse coordination and adding feeder ties to give operators flexibility to move load and isolate faults. The consultants recommended balancing load across substations and feeders and validated a site for a future substation (Substation 6) to serve anticipated southwest growth.
The consultants presented modeled outcomes for 2024 and projected 2030 loads and described a mix of near‑term measures that can be implemented relatively quickly and long‑lead items, such as substation equipment, that can require years for procurement and construction. "Invest now, reap later," Justin Blue said, noting that some equipment can take two years or more to obtain from manufacturers.
City staff said they will ask CEC to prepare a phased costing plan that translates recommendations into a comprehensive capital‑project package for council consideration. Staff noted an existing north/northeast line replacement project planned for the current budget and said the master plan would inform sequencing and any larger multi‑year contract they may pursue.
Councilors asked about line losses, the underutilized capacity at Substation 3 West and whether immediate steps could use existing capacity. Consultants and staff said some capacity is intentionally reserved for industrial customers and recommended targeted actions to move and utilize capacity where feasible, but emphasized that comprehensive reconfiguration and new substation construction are multi‑year efforts.
City staff and consultants said some items in the report can be done immediately and others will need to be phased and funded; they anticipate returning to council with a costed plan and recommended phasing.
