Duke Energy is strengthening the state's energy grid, making it more resilient and secure. These enhancements will improve power quality and reliability for all our customers. Our goal is to consistently meet power demand with safe, reliable, dependable and increasingly cleaner energy for homes, schools and businesses, both now and into the future.
Overview of the project
The Stuart W. Cramer substation project is a system reliability enhancement project needed to support current and future energy growth for Gaston County. A new substation will be located at approximately 71 Lakewood Road in Cramerton, N.C. This site is close to the load center, an area where the demand for electricity is the highest.
This project is critical to providing enhanced service reliability for the growing communities in Gaston County and surrounding area. The new substation will be built on Duke Energy property and work on the transmission lines will be completed within the existing right of way. Distribution lines will also be constructed on the substation site to supply electricity to the existing distribution corridor. Nearby portions of the distribution corridor along Wilkinson Boulevard and Lakewood Road will be upgraded to support the new electric supply.
Project schedule
Site Development Construction Activities (Complete Summer 2019)
- Construction entrance established off Lakewood Road
- Vegetation and tree removal for substation pad, transmission, and distribution corridors on-site
- Grading site in preparation for substation construction
- Contractors mobilizing heavy equipment and materials to the site
Substation Construction Activities (Complete Summer 2020)
- Continue receiving delivery of materials
- Install substation security fence on the site
- Erecting steel for substation equipment
- Installing substation equipment within fence
Transmission Construction Activities (Complete December 2020)
- Removing and reinstalling transmission infrastructure within existing transmission right of way to provide clearances needed for the access road and distribution corridors
- Transmission line constructed to connect the existing transmission line to the substation
Site Restoration Activities (Target Completion Early 2021)
- Installing landscaping on site and along Lakewood Road
- Placing grass seed and straw to stabilize and restore ground cover
- Restoring sidewalk to pre-existing condition
Distribution Construction Activities (Target Completion Summer 2021)
- Distribution lines constructed to connect the existing distribution lines to the substation
- Distribution corridors on Lakewood Road and Wilkinson Boulevard, close to the substation site, upgraded to support the new electric supply
Benefits to the community
- Improves Duke Energy's ability to provide safe and reliable energy to homes, community facilities and businesses in Gaston County
- Provides additional electric capacity to continue delivering reliable power and meet the growing energy needs of the community
- Enhances system reliability as the Greater Gaston County community continues to grow
Screening
Duke Energy strives to be a conscientious community member. We plan to retain trees on-site to maintain a vegetative buffer between the substation and Stuart W. Cramer High School, Wilkinson Boulevard, and Lakewood Road. Landscaping will be installed along Lakewood Road upon completion of the substation construction. A visual simulation of the substation and what the community can expect to see from the road is posted in the “News & Resources” section below.
