Electric Commission Advances Projects At Sept. 25 Meeting
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WATER VALLEY – For the first time in city history, every utility pole in Water Valley will be inspected, treated, and digitally mapped after the Water Valley Electric Department approved a bid last week.
Actions during the monthly commission meeting also included approving an interconnection agreement with Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) to provide backup power for the city in case of major outages, and repairs at the city’s main substation —steps to help provide a stronger safeguard against outages.
The meeting was held Thursday night, Sept. 25, at The Civic, with Chairman Brandon Presley presiding alongside commissioners Ray Hawkins, Barry Weeks, and Terry Allen Jr. Engineer Jeff Atwell of Atwell and Gent and attorney Chris Latimer also attended.
Latimer presented the final draft of the interconnection agreement with TVEPA, explaining that the utility was under no obligation to assist Water Valley but agreed to provide the tie-in. The deal will allow power to flow from TVEPA into the city grid through two newly installed transformers —one at Yalobusha General Hospital and one at Solero— during a major outage, providing backup power for the entire city.
The backup-power project began in 2022 after a citywide outage that left Water Valley dark for almost 15 hours. Funding includes $367,524 from the Delta Regional Authority and $500,000 appropriated by state lawmakers in 2022. Commissioners said they expect the TVEPA connection to be in place by the end of October.
The backup transformer project was launched in 2022 following a city-wide outage earlier that year that left the entire city in the dark for almost 15 hours. The city was awarded $367,524 from the Delta Regional Authority, and $500,000 was appropriated by state lawmakers in 2022 to fund the backup power project. The electric commission is working to complete the project by the end of October when the transformers will ultimately connect to TVEPA.
Presley underscored how unusual the arrangement is, given that Water Valley currently depends entirely on a single Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) transmission connection and one substation. “TVEPA didn’t have to do this. They’re stepping up out of the goodness of their heart, and it’s going to cure many of the things that keep us up at night,” he said.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the agreement, followed by approval of an amendment to TVA purchase power contracts that will handle billing if the interconnection is ever activated.
The second major item was approval of a $63,980 bid from Power Pole Maintenance Company, LLC to inspect every pole on the system, estimated around 1,800. Crews will perform visual and below-ground checks, recommend replacement for weakened poles, and treat sound ones to extend their life by as much as 10 to 15 years. For the first time, GPS coordinates will be logged and pole tags installed, providing Water Valley with a complete digital inventory of the system.
Presley called it “a big digital step forward” and noted that once complete, the data will interface with the Hometown Grid software that was rolled out last month that allows to the public to report and monitor outages on the city grid.
Commissioners also voted to add protective yellow guy guards on utility at a cost of approximately $15 each, pointing out that as many as half of the system’s guy wires are unmarked.
“We will never have a cheaper opportunity to get this work done,” Presley said, urging the commission to approve the bid add-on for the guy wire guards. The pole inspection and mapping will be funded through House Bill 603, a $750,000 legislative appropriation originally tied to broadband facilitation. Presley explained the link plainly: “You can’t have broadband service if you don’t have a pole.”
Commissioners next approved a master construction and maintenance contract with MDR Construction. The contract establishes unit prices and hourly rates for all line work, including routine construction and emergency storm response. Atwell said the immediate task under the contract will be completing the hospital and Solero transformers connections to TVEPA, estimated at around $200,000.
Presley called the master contract with MDR Construction is another “a first for Water Valley,” replacing ad-hoc arrangements of the past with a standing contract common among larger utilities. “This gives us a true compass for costs and the ability to be nimble in the event we have a major storm,” he said.
Attention then turned to repairs at the city’s 161/13 kV substation at Gore Circle. Atwell reported that cooling fans on the large power transformer are inoperable and must be replaced at a cost of $25,088.75. A failed voltage regulator controller, which staff manually monitoring each day, will also be replaced at a cost of $14,778.40. Presley said the improvements are critical to reliability and efficiency, noting Water Valley’s high line-loss rates.
Both expenditures will be covered through Senate Bill 2468, a $1.5 million legislative appropriation for electric system upgrades. Commissioners also discussed larger future needs at the substation, including a modern control house with remote monitoring, but agreed those items should be pursued through grant funding first.
In related action, the commission unanimously increased its local match for a Mississippi Development Authority grid resiliency grant from $326,000 to $484,000 to qualify for the maximum $1 million award. Combined with the local share, the total project could reach $1.48 million if awarded.
“We don’t know whether we will get it or not, but this gives us safe harbor if we do,” Presley said.
Other business included approving membership in the American Public Power Association, which will provide training and allow the commission to advertise its general manager position to a national audience. Membership is free the first year, then gradually increases to $3,697 by year four. Presley noted the electric department currently spends about $18,000 annually on memberships, some of which may be eliminated.
Commissioners also consolidated multiple bank accounts into a single primary account, hired two part-time clerks for the electric office, and approved routine claims. Latimer reported that five applications have already been received for the general manager position, which remains open until Oct. 15.
All motions passed unanimously.
