Crews working for Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana – South (Vectren) are ramping up efforts to begin  nearly 60 projects – investments of approximately $12 million – to be completed by the end of this year as part of the Smart Energy Future strategy, which includes the recently approved electric grid modernization plan. Projects aimed at upgrading Vectren’s electric infrastructure to ensure the energy company can maintain the reliability customers have come to expect will take place throughout the southwestern territory.
Over the next few months, many projects benefitting a large number of customers will be completed. While we will attempt to keep disruption to a minimum, Vectren will communicate awareness of the projects benefiting its many customers and help customers understand any potential interruption to their electric service. Upcoming projects include:
Circuit (a specific grouping of poles and lines delivering power) rebuild and conversion projects– upgrading and replacing hardware and equipment on the circuit, which leads to shorter restoration times, a reduction in the number of emergency repairs needed and increased system performance and integrity Â
- Evansville: Cass Avenue circuit (south side, west of U.S. 41 near Riverside Drive) serving 500 customers
- Evansville: Marx Road circuit (northwest side near Five Dollar Rd) serving 850 customers
- Evansville: Seventh Avenue circuit (north of the Lloyd Expressway near Columbia Avenue and Franklin Avenue) serving 250 customers
- Evansville: Lodge Avenue circuit (south side, west of U.S. 41 near Gilbert Avenue) serving 1,200 customers
- Evansville: Lawndale circuit (southeast side near Vann Road) serving 1,400 customers
- Newburgh: Highway 662 circuit (west of Newburgh on S.R. 662) serving 1,100 customers
- Richland City: Rose Hill circuit (south of Richland, west of S.R. 161) serving 1,300 customers
- Winslow: Winslow circuit (west side of Winslow, west of S.R. 61) serving 1,200 customers
- Tennyson: Tennyson circuit (west of Tennyson on C.R. 350 N) serving 950 customers
Underground cable replacement projects – replacing aging underground cable, which leads to a reduction in risk of unplanned outages, faster outage restoration when outages occur and reduced customer interruption duration by sectionalizing the area in need of repair
- Evansville: Village Green Apartments (southeast side, west of Green River Road) serving 400 customers
- Mt. Vernon: Country Club Estates subdivision (west side) serving 150 customers
- Mt. Vernon: Rush Creek Circuit (north of Mt. Vernon, west of S.R. 69 near Kansas Road) serving 500 customers
Optical ground wire projects – replacing existing steel static wire running along transmission lines to expand communication capability between existing electric substations and improve data collection and system performance
- Approximately five miles of cable running along Alcoa Warrick Operations to the southern area of Boonville
- Approximately eight miles of cable running along Vectren’s Bergdolt Storage Yard on the north side of Evansville, N. First Avenue and ending at Vectren’s Northwest substation on the west side of Evansville
Substation equipment upgrades/replacements – replacing/upgrading substation equipment such as circuit breakers to reduce risk of unplanned outages and reduce the risk of potential safety hazards to the public and Vectren employees
- Evansville: Grandview substation serving 400 customers
- Evansville: Grimm Road substation serving 4,700 customers
By the end of 2017, crews working for Vectren will have completed approximately 35 circuit rebuild and conversion projects and approximately 30 underground cable replacement projects. Generally, customers will notice projects beginning when crews have placed signage in the area. The duration of these projects usually span two to six weeks, barring weather delays.
These projects are part of the company’s seven-year improvement plan to enhance reliability and modernize our electric infrastructure, which was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in September. The plan, part of the company’s Smart Energy Future strategy, includes upgrades to portions of Vectren’s network of substations, transmission and distribution networks that serve seven counties in southwestern Indiana. The plan features more than 800 projects and is estimated to cost $450 million over the plan’s seven-year period. Customers can learn more about Vectren’s grid modernization plan and its customer benefits at www.vectren.com/SmartEnergyFuture.
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