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Author: hannah

Parsons Road Tree Removal – Transmission Line Upgrade Project

Written by hannah on . Posted in Projects.

Contact:   Tony Chartrand, Supervisory Engineer, 231-932-4562, tchartrand@tclp.org

PARSONS ROAD TREE REMOVAL & TRIMMING
BARLOW TO PARSONS TRANSMISSION LINE UPGRADE PROJECT

Traverse City, MI – As part of Traverse City Light & Power’s (TCL&P) efforts to ensure reliability to our customers, the utility will be upgrading 2.71 miles of transmission line from Barlow to Parsons Road. The reconstruction was requested from both MISO to meet certain capacity contingencies as well as the FAA to correct a clearance condition near the airport.

As part of the project, the utility will be undergrounding facilities along the north side of Parsons. In order to construct the trench and avoid other utilities located in the same location, the utility will need to remove a large number of trees, mainly scotch pine, between the Parsons Road right-of-way and the Oakwood Cemetery fence, from Airport Access Road west for approximately 1,550 feet.

TCL&P’s contractors, Asplundh Tree Expert Co. and Thunder Bay Tree Service, will be performing the tree removal and trimming along the north side of Parsons Road, which is to begin May 31, 2022, and is expected to be complete by June 13, 2022. Following this, TCL&P’s construction contractor, Newkirk Electric, will begin installing the trench.

A significant replanting with colorful native trees and shrubs, such as arborvitae and native bushes, is planned as soon as practicable. This will ensure that the trees will not grow to a height that will impede required FAA runway clearances as well as add some color during the spring and summer to this corridor.

Please use alternate routes avoiding this area to reduce congestion, delay and promote worker safety. Appropriate signage and barricades will be in place in and around the work area.

We would like to thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation. Please contact Tony Chartrand, Supervisory Engineer at 231-932-4562 if you have any questions or concerns about the work or schedule.

MAP – Impacted Area
Restoration Plans
Board Memo – 5/10/2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Parsons has had multiple projects along and under it in recent years, why didn’t TCL&P bury the line during one of those projects?

This particular line segment was not flagged by MISO (the regional transmission grid operator) as being undersized until 2019. Prior to this, the line was adequately sized and didn’t have to be upgraded. Due to the cost and scope of the project, a multiple year process was undertaken to determine the best route and design of the line as well as budgeting for this large cost.

Why can’t the line be built closer to the road?

Given the depths and separation of the existing utilities along Parsons, there simply isn’t enough space to construct a line between these utilities or the road until the point where the water line crosses the road just west of the hydrant. Trees will not be cut down west of this point.

Why can’t this line be built on the south side of Parsons?

There are many more utilities on the south side of Parsons including high voltage distribution, gas, sewer, and communications. These utilities currently occupy all of the room on the south side of Parsons.

Will this line have to be dug up in the future for further upgrades?

TCL&P is installing an additional set of conduits to allow future expansion as well as oversizing the conduits to allow larger or higher voltage cables to be installed. This will ensure that this line will have a life of 100+ years.

Assembly II Solar Project Commences Commercial Operation

Written by hannah on . Posted in News.

April 7, 2022

E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) in partnership with Ranger Power, a Chicago-based utility-scale solar development company has announced the completion and commercial operation of the Assembly II Solar Project in Shiawassee County. This project, in addition to Assembly Solar I (completed in 2020), makes up the largest installed solar array in Michigan. Traverse City Light and Power (TCL&P) is proud to be a part of the Assembly II Project, which will generate enough energy to power 22,500 Michigan homes each year, according to the project’s developers in a recent press release.

TCL&P works collectively with other municipally owned utilities through the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA), a not-for-profit joint action agency, to share energy supply and related services to lower costs, reduce risks, and leverage expertise. Through MPPA, TCL&P joins 13 other Michigan communities in this exciting renewable project. “The Assembly Solar Project is part of MPPA’s continued commitment to clean, safe, and affordable energy for the residents and businesses we serve throughout Michigan,” said Patrick Bowland, chief executive officer of MPPA. MPPA, through the support and commitment of its Member communities, has executed approximately $1 billion toward the purchase of renewable energy in the last decade to help its Members achieve their environmental goals.

 “TCL&P is pleased to partner with other municipal utilities in Michigan through MPPA to provide our customers with reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible power supply through a diversified portfolio of resources,” said Brandie Ekren, TCL&P Executive Director. “As a Public Power utility, we’re proud to be able to offer our community with rates that are, across Michigan, an average of 25% less than non-community owned utilities. Projects like Assembly Solar help to ensure our services remain affordable.” TCL&P began providing electricity to local residents and businesses 110 years ago and is community-owned and operated.

Michigan Public Power Agency
517-523-8919
www.mpower.org

TCLP Recognized for Reliable Electric Service To The Community

Written by hannah on . Posted in News.

Monday, April 4, 2022

Contact: Kelli Schroeder, Manager of HR & Communications, 231-932-4545, kschroeder@tclp.org

Information: Tobias Sellier, American Public Power Association, MediaRelations@PublicPower.org

TRAVERSE CITY, MI. – Traverse City Light & Power (TCL&P) has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2021. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.

APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.

“Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers.” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”

Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the amount of time that customers of other types of utilities do.

“The entire TCL&P team (ranging from its Board and Executive Leadership to Employees, both in the office and in the field) is honored and proud to receive this recognition. It is a testament to our commitment to be an industry influencer as we keep Traverse City powered and connected,” said Brandie Ekren, TCL&P Executive Director.

TCL&P has been committed to increasing reliability with system improvement projects that have included the West Side Transmission Line Upgrade, construction of the south substation and adding new breakers to both the Barlow and Parson substations. For 2022, the utility will be upgrading the Barlow to Parsons Transmission Line in addition to other smaller projects.  

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Traverse City Light & Power (www.tclp.org) is a community-owned, community-focused municipal utility that offers reliable energy at low rates in the region to over 12,700 customers in Traverse City, and parts of East Bay, Elmwood, Garfield and Peninsula townships. Now offering TCLPfiber, an all-fiber, gigabit internet service.

TCLP Welcomes New Executive Director

Written by hannah on . Posted in News.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Contact: Kelli Schroeder, Manager of HR & Communications, 231-932-4545, kschroeder@tclp.org

TRAVERSE CITY, MI. – Last night the Traverse City Light & Power Board approved the employment agreement with Brandie Ekren as TCL&P’s new Executive Director with an official start date of March 21, 2022. Ms. Ekren has spent the last 18 years working for the Lansing Board of Water & Light (Michigan’s largest municipally-owned electric utility) as General Counsel and most recently Executive Director of Strategic Planning & Development.  

“TCL&P is moving forward with many initiatives, especially those that can help reduce the impacts of climate change,” said TCL&P Board Chairperson Paul Heiberger. “Ms. Ekren’s experience with strategic planning, renewable portfolios and strategic and innovative initiatives including clean energy program development, revenue diversification and microgrids will be a tremendous asset as the utility moves into the future. My fellow Board members and I welcome Brandie as TCL&P’s new Executive Director.”

“The vote of confidence from both the TCLP Board and Staff is a tremendous honor and a humbling moment for me personally,” said Brandie Ekren. “My dedication to our success as one of the most progressive electric utilities is powered by my passion for our industry and its potential. We will positively impact the industry together.”

The TCL&P Board, with the help of the recruitment firm Preng & Associates, began recruitment for a new Executive Director following the retirement of Timothy Arends in late summer after a combined 31years with both the City and TCL&P. The Board considered four well-qualified candidates and following interviews and individual Board member one-on-one meetings, unanimously selected Ms. Ekren as their top choice.

Ms. Ekren has a juris doctorate degree from Michigan State University College of Law.  She and her family are very much looking forward to joining the Traverse City community.

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Traverse City Light & Power (www.tclp.org) is a community-owned, community-focused municipal utility that offers reliable energy at low rates in the region to over 12,700 customers in Traverse City, and parts of East Bay, Elmwood, Garfield and Peninsula townships. Now offering TCLPfiber, an all-fiber, gigabit internet service.