Upgrades Taking Place At Potomac Edison Substation Near Mt. Airy

The company it will accommodate the growth projected for the region.


Mt Airy, Md. (KM)  Potomac Edison is trying to stay a step ahead of the growth projected for the region.

The company is installing two large transformers at its substation near Mount Airy. Spokesman Todd Meyers says this will improve electric service to more than 3400 customers in the region, and accommodate the growth projected for that area of Frederick and Howard Counties.

He says these transformers are much larger than the bucket-size transformers that many people see on utility poles. “They’re 15-feet long, 13-feet tall, 14-feet wide. They weigh almost 80,000 pounds apiece. We moved one in a couple of weeks ago, and now the guys are installing that. Another one will come in January,” he says.

The $2.5-million project is scheduled to be completed by early next year, Meyer says.

“They’re actually manufactured near Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania,” he says. “So it’s nice to have some real big equipment just a state away from you.”

Meyers says growth presents many challenges for utilities like Potomac Edison. “Part of that is just keeping up with the growth because you can’t wait for the growth to appear and then try to catch up with the electrical service,” he says. “So we need to be several years ahead of the curve.”

By Kevin McManus