News

Base powers up with new substation

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Robins is getting more powerful.

Base officials recently heralded the completion of a new electrical substation that will help Robins keep up with demand from new construction and ensure reliability, said Jonathan Powell, an industrial engineer in the 78th Civil Engineer Squadron.

The substation, located just off Perimeter Road on the north end of the base, is expected to be switched on by Georgia Power in a few days, Mr. Powell said. The station will be the fourth substation on base.

A substation converts high voltage electrical power from distribution lines into a lower voltage for use in base facilities. The new station cost $2.5 million, which was paid for by Georgia Power. The base spent $750,000 for lines and circuit breakers that tie the station to the base.

"The new substation will allow us greater capacity and allow us to have greater flexibility with maintenance and switching," Mr. Powell said.

The substation will take the load off existing stations, which have operated near capacity at times, Mr. Powell said. By reducing the load on existing substations, the risk of outages is reduced.

The ceremony also included a tribute to former infrastructure support chief Bill Fowler, who is now retired. Mr. Fowler was instrumental in the development of the power distribution network on base, which is largely underground and thereby more reliable. He was also instrumental in getting the new substation developed.

"He left a large footprint in what he accomplished," Mr. Powell said.