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Board: substation upgrade needed; work will likely require bonding and higher rates
Summary
Board members said an engineering firm is analyzing the substation and that needed upgrades will likely cost millions, requiring bonding and a rate increase; the board said parts (like transformers) have long lead times.
Board staff told residents and the board that the local substation needs a comprehensive upgrade and that an engineering contractor has been retained to study options and prepare a plan. "Our substation needs to be upgraded," a staff speaker said, adding that the engineering firm is "going to get back to us about redoing the entire substation."
Board members said the upgrades will require significant funding and that the utility will need to bond for the work. "We're going to have to have a rate increase," the board speaker said, and emphasized that the cost "is going to be millions." Members noted they have not increased the base rate in many years and that the New York Power Authority sets the purchase price line outside local control.
The board outlined next steps: complete the engineering analysis, place orders for long‑lead equipment (transformers have about a year and a half lead time), and plan for redundancy in feeder lines to reduce outage durations. No final funding vote was taken at this meeting.
