February 26, 2021
STARKVILLE – On Saturday, March 6 at 7 a.m., Starkville Utilities customers should prepare for a brief loss of electrical service. The planned outage, which should last less than 15 minutes, is part of required switching activities for the new southwest substation to ensure that all equipment and connections operate correctly as part of the commissioning process.
“We’re in the final stages of a significant upgrade project that will improve reliability, increase capacity, and ensure our electrical system is prepared to serve Starkville’s present and future power needs,” said Terry Kemp, general manager of Starkville Utilities. “By providing advance notice of the planned outage, we want to minimize any inconvenience to our customers, and we’ll do everything possible to limit the duration.”
Infrastructure investments are a key driver of Starkville Utilities’ Future FOCUS initiative to ensure that customers enjoy safe, reliable, affordable utilities now and well into the future.
Located at the end of Azalea Lane, the new southwest substation is the culmination of several years of planning and teamwork between Starkville Utilities and Tennessee Valley Authority. Once complete, the upgrade will provide two separate transmission connections from TVA that will provide primary and backup power to benefit all Starkville Utilities customers by improving system operations.
Teams have been conducting tests since January as part of the commissioning plan. After March 6, load-shifting procedures will begin to balance the system and associated equipment to allow the new substation to be placed into normal operations.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding as we complete this important step,” Kemp said. “Commissioning our new substation is an important milestone in providing customers with an improved, modernized system to support Starkville’s current demand and continued growth.”
Starkville Utilities is a municipally owned and operated electric and water utility, serving more than 14,000 residences, businesses and industries in Starkville as well as the state’s largest institution of higher learning, Mississippi State University.