Rowley MLP: Transformer due, substation work advancing; battery storage unchanged

General Manager Matthew Brown told the Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant commission on Nov. 19 that the new transformer for the utility substation is scheduled to arrive from Virginia at the end of the week and that site work and the oil-containment wall are complete.

Brown said trenching to the control building will be the next on-site task once the transformer is set in place and has passed its required tests. "Once the transformer passes all its tests, the second payment will be to Virginia Transformer in the form of a wire transfer," Brown said. He asked the board to expect the office manager to complete the wire transfer when testing is finished.

Brown also reported there have been no substantive developments on the battery storage project and said staff are concentrating on keeping the substation project on schedule; he told commissioners he expects more to report at the December meeting. Brown said he had reached out to Littleton Electric Light and received similar status feedback.

Separately, Brown outlined progress on related distribution work: crews have set and framed all poles on Kittery Avenue in preparation for a second wire pull and are continuing construction along that route. The commission also heard that annual dielectric testing was completed the week of Nov. 10 by Stuart Irby using an on-site trailer.

The commission took no formal votes related to the substation or construction projects during the meeting. The meeting record shows the board approved prior minutes and adjourned by unanimous roll-call votes earlier and later in the agenda.