Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (CVPS) faced a dilemma: a critical piece of its infrastructure in southern Vermont, a 66-mile, 46kV transmission line, was over 40 years old. Beginning over twenty years ago the company had sought permission to upgrade the line but was repeatedly denied by the state’s regulatory authority, which instead challenged the company to improve its demand reduction efforts. Now demand in the area had grown to the point that CVPS was unable to perform even routine maintenance without running the risk of causing wide-spread outages across the entire region.

In addition, the Southern Loop was part of a regional reliability issue. As a result, CVPS was trying to coordinate its efforts with Vermont Electric Power Company, the regional transmission system operator. Unfortunately, VELCO’s most recent project (in another part of the state) had not gone well at all.

CVPS and VELCO asked STAR Group to help. By the end of the first stakeholder meeting, CVPS had been told to move forward “immediately” with new synchronous condensers (voltage regulating devices that CVPS thought would shore up the Southern Loop transmission line). In addition, stakeholders recommended that a new 56 mile 115kV transmission line be constructed by VELCO to ensure reliability throughout southern Vermont. Other recommendations included additional Distributed Resources (Demand Side Management and Distributed Generation) in the southern Vermont area – recommendations which the two utilities accepted and are pursuing today in collaboration with citizens from across the region.

Vermont Business Magazine: New Thinking Makes for Better Energy Solutions, by Bob Young (President & CEO, CVPS) - (December, 2007)

Rutland Herald: Southern Loop Letter from Bob Young (President & CEO, CVPS) and John Donleavy (CEO, VELCO) - (11/21/07)

Brattleboro Reformer: Hearings on Southern Loop Begin Next Week - (01/27/06)

Brattleboro Reformer: Panel Discusses Future Energy Needs - (02/03/06)

Brattleboro Reformer: Breaking the Gridlock - (02/04/06)

Utilities Can Turn Adversaries Into Advocates On Infrastructure Projects - (03/01/06)

Brattleboro Reformer: Southern Loop Study Group Backs Power Line Upgrade - (03/18/06)

Sloop Letter - (03/20/06)

Platts Electric Power Daily - (03/21/06)

Bennington Banner Article: CVPS to Host 'Southern Loop' Discussion In Bennington - (09/06/06)

Brattleboro Reformer: CVPS Seeks Approval for Southern Loop Upgrade - (11/14/06)

More information can be viewed online at the Southern Loop web site: http://www.velco.com/Templates/default.asp?pageId=48