The Gorge Area Reinforcement (“GAR”) is the second phase of a three phase plan to maintain reliability in northern Chittenden County as the area load increases. At historical load growth rates it will be required in 2011.
The GAR is made up of the following components:
-
The construction of a new 115 – 34.5 kV substation (“Gorge VELCO substation”) in South Burlington across the Winooski River from the existing Gorge GMP substation. It will be partially located in the existing VELCO K-25 and GMP 3307 – 3308 line corridor. In addition to project requirements the design will provide for future 12 kV distribution feeders.
-
The reconstruction of approximately 700 feet of the existing 3307 and 3308 34.5 kV line between the new Gorge VELCO substation and the existing Gorge GMP substation. The 700 feet of reconstruction is necessary to upgrade the conductor of one line and to separate the lines that now share a common structure. The existing 3307 line capacity is increased because it will be the major tie between Gorge GMP and Gorge VELCO. The existing 3308 line will become an extension of the existing 3321 line, which will terminate at Gorge VELCO instead of Gorge GMP.
-
A major upgrade of the Gorge GMP substation. The upgrade replaces an antiquated wood-pole structure with a six-breaker ring bus to accept the increased load and fault current from Gorge VELCO. In addition to the project requirements, the upgrade will also allow for the future voltage conversion of the Gorge 4 kV distribution feeders (16J1 and 16J2) to 12 kV, a third 34.5 kV feeder position (16Y3) when the Winooski area load requires a third distribution feeder, and substation capacity to allow the replacement of the existing Gorge Gas Turbine with a larger unit.
-
The removal of GMP's 3323 and 3328 lines (the Waterfront Lines). The proposed GAR project allows for the removal of GMP's 34.5 kV waterfront lines. It is GMP’s understanding that Burlington Electric Department’s distribution lines at the waterfront will be removed following completion of the first phase of the three phase plan.