RG&E Begins Substation Rebuild in North Winton Village

Upgrades to substation 43 will increase reliability for roughly 6,500 customers

ROCHESTER, NY — November 17, 2021 — Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) announced today that it has begun upgrades to its substation 43 in the North Winton Village area as part of the company’s commitment to provide safe and reliable service to all customers. The project will rebuild the facility to increase its capacity to serve customers and create a more reliable and resilient energy grid for the approximate 6,500 residential and commercial customers served by the substation. 

Substations play a crucial role in the electrical transmission and distribution systems. One of its main functions is to lower the voltage of electricity so it can be easily supplied to homes and businesses through distribution lines.

“This project is critical to enhance reliability for our customers in downtown Rochester,” said Sara Otero, project manager at RG&E. “The North Winton Village area has grown tremendously since substation 43 was originally constructed in the 1950s, resulting in a need for increased capacity to meet peak operation levels. These upgrades will do just that and ensure that we’re able to continue delivering safe and reliable power to our customers for years to come.”

The primary goal of the project is to make the grid more reliable by increasing the substation’s capacity. This includes converting the existing 4.1 kilovolt (kV) voltage distribution circuits to 12.5kV circuits by installing two new transformers banks. The project will also upgrade the existing control house and substation equipment, including installing two new state-of-the-art transformers. Additionally, the project will increase the facility’s switching capabilities with adjacent circuits, enhancing reliability by allowing customers to receive their electricity through another path if the primary circuit requires repairs. The substation rebuild is estimated to be complete and in service by the end of 2022.

As part of the company’s efforts, RG&E designs projects with the community in mind. For this project, that includes adding transformer walls to screen the substation equipment and installing an upgraded black metal fence along Wyand Crescent to enhance the substation’s appearance and more closely coordinate with the other adjacent properties along the street.

The substation 43 rebuild is one off the several local investments RG&E is making in its delivery system to provide additional power to meet growing demand, increase reliability, and accommodate growth and economic development in its service areas. In the downtown area earlier this year, the company also completed upgrades to RG&E substation 23 and major upgrades to the electric transmission system in the Rochester region as part of the Rochester Area Reliability Project. 

RG&E advises customers that temporary and minor increases in construction-related traffic are expected during the project period. Prior to construction beginning, the company’s public outreach team has worked extensively to ensure that all impacted residents and organizations, including the local neighborhood service center, are provided accurate and timely construction updates as well as given contact information for question or concerns. 
“We thank the residents who neighbor the substation in advance for their patience and understanding as construction begins,” said Stacy Bartl, public outreach manager at RG&E. “This is a crucial upgrade to our system, and we will work to mitigate any inconveniences to the neighborhood. Additionally, we will continue to communicate on a regular basis with the North Winton Village Neighborhood Association and all other impacted customers.” 

RG&E is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc.  

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About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit rge.com. 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a leading, sustainable energy company with approximately $36 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states. With headquarters in Orange, Connecticut, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 6,600 people. AVANGRID supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2019 and 2020 by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

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