HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/15/2020 - Memorandum From Kraig Bader Re: Overhead Electric Lines In Fort Collins Light & Power Service Territory
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Light & Power
700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 - fax
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M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: September 9, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director
Tim McCollough, Utilities Deputy Director
FROM: Kraig Bader, Director, Electrical Engineering
RE: Overhead Electric Lines in Fort Collins Light & Power Service Territory
This memorandum is a response to a recent question from Leadership Planning Team
(LPT) on August 24 regarding the status for conversion of electric lines from overhead
to underground installations. Consistent with Fort Collins’ legacy and with the City
Council’s current priority to convert overhead electric lines to underground electric lines,
Staff requested an off-cycle appropriation of funds to support the conversion of the
remaining overhead lines to underground in January of 2020. As the work is now
divided, there are eight projects that are either in design or construction in Light &
Power’s service territory, with a plan to complete the conversion by 31 January 2022.
There are approximately 4 miles of primary overhead circuits identified in the electric
distribution system, representing 0.3% of the existing plant. Following the appropriation
in January 2020, staff started work to plan, design, and construct the overhead to
underground conversion projects. The status for each of the projects funded under the
off-cycle appropriation is shown below.
Project Name Status Length in Feet
(% of Remaining
OH)
Taft and Drake Conversion (Milfred) In Construction 1,230 (5.82%)
Taft and Drake Conversion (Craws) In Construction 1,043 (4.94%)
Taft and Drake Conversion (Tefft) In Design 4,499 (21.30%)
Taft and Drake Conversion (Drake) In Design 402 (1.90%)
College and Trilby Conversion In Design /
Planning
8,144 (38.56%)
Overland Trail and Mulberry Conversion In Design 1,045 (4.95%)
North College and Willox Conversion In Planning 650 (3.08%)
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West Vine and Shields Conversion In Planning 650 (3.08%)
Work to convert overhead electric distribution areas not only improves electric reliability
and resilience, but also allows cooperative installation of conduit pathways that will also
support future Connexion customers. From that perspective, some work has been
prioritized to coordinate with Connexion’s construction schedule. Some other work
prioritized ahead of the planned conversion includes overhead areas where
development will call for the removal of the overhead electric system serving agricultural
or undeveloped land specifically with proposed developments in Northeast Fort Collins.
cc: Travis Walker, Director Electric Field Services
DocuSign Envelope ID: FAB5C227-73F0-4E4E-B21F-9083855C5FB4