Albany utility board recommends city commission approve purchase of bypass switches to avoid service interruptions

The Albany Utility Board on Nov. 20 recommended the City Commission approve the purchase of 60 600-amp bypass switches, a staff presentation said the purchase carries a budget impact of $231,900. Procurement staff identified Wesco Anixter as the lowest responsible bidder for bid reference 26-020.

Utility operations staff said the bypass switches will be used in tandem with the Viper switches the city has installed on overhead circuits. “These switches will be used in tandem, with our Viper switches that we're installing in the overhead distribution systems,” an operations staff member said, explaining that the bypasses allow crews to take a Viper out of service while maintaining continuity of current to customers.

Procurement staff described the purchase as necessary to perform maintenance, repairs and replacements without interrupting the circuit and customer service. Board members asked about the program’s scale; staff confirmed 30 Viper switches were installed last year and 60 are being installed this year, and each Viper location requires a bypass switch to preserve service during maintenance.

Board discussion also touched on budgeting and potential grant funding to accelerate the rollout: operations staff said the program will be included in the capital investment plan for the next fiscal year and that staff will seek grant opportunities where possible.

A motion recommending the purchase to the City Commission was made and seconded during the meeting; the transcript records the motion and a second but does not name the mover or seconder. The recommendation proceeds to the City Commission for final approval.