Norwalk’s Third Taxing District Proudly Announces Celebrating "Transmission Independence"
On July 11, 2013, Norwalk’s Third Taxing District had their Fitch Street Substation groundbreaking ceremony. All office employees were in attendance as well as TTD’s Commissioners, Charles Yost and David Brown, and Mayor Richard Moccia. The Fitch Street substation will be the first new substation built by TTD since the completion of the Rowan Street substation in 1980. This new facility will be fed directly from 4KV cables from their existing East Avenue substation, so the use of 27KV cables from outside the district will no longer be necessary. Jim Smith, who has been East Norwalk’s General Manager for a little over a year, comments "You have to have a vision to build something like this."
Back in 2008/2009, Norwalk’s Third Taxing District started looking at their costs and decided to take a chance. They wanted to give their customers the best value for the lowest cost they possibly could. Jim Smith goes on to say "Things can always be better." So, they looked into building their own substation. After going through the bidding process, they have decided to go with Eaton Corporation, located in Montville, NJ, that is a turn-key developer.
They found a patch of land about a mile away from their office where they can build, right next to their current East Avenue Substation. East Norwalk wants it to be non-threatening to the surrounding neighbors, so they have decided to build a weather covered substation with landscaping surrounding the building to blend in. Of course, East Norwalk made sure to ask the neighbors if they would accept this new building, and they all agreed that they would.
The building process will begin very soon and they expect the project time to be four to five months. Sometime in early December they will make the switch from the current substation to the new one. Customers don’t have to worry, however, because it will only take a few seconds and it will be done overnight so as to not disrupt anyone.
To see all information including benefits for their customers, the facts, approximate costs and approximate savings
click here.
From left to right: Charles Yost, TDD Commissioner; Mayor Richard Moccia; James Smith, GM; David Brown, TDD Commissioner; Joe Cristino, TDD's consulting engineer; and George Patechis, Easton Corporation.
photos courtesy of Rich Bonenfant
