NEMEPA Proposes New Substation in Taylor

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com
The town of Taylor, Mississippi held a public hearing earlier this month to discuss a proposed North East Mississippi Electric Power Association (NEMEPA) substation. The location is still being discussed. 
The proposed substation is a 161:13 KV electric substation with a high side of 161,000 volts according to Randall Abel, NEMEPA manager of engineering and operations.
“The construction of the substation is necessary to upgrade the current Taylor 46 kV substation to 161 kV,” he said. “This project is based on the planned and approved Tennessee Valley Authority 161 kV Oxford to Coffeeville transmission line project.”
He said the proposed substation would improve the current service reliability and support load growth to NEMEPA consumers in south Lafayette County, as well as the back up load in the south Oxford area.
The proposed substation is scheduled to start construction in early 2020, however, Abel said NEMEPA is in the process of sending landscaping drawings to both the Public Service Commission and the town of Taylor authorities.
“Once those are received and approved, the substation will be official,” he said.
Taylor Mayor Jim Hamilton said he agreed the substation will be an eyesore, but it is one of those necessary evils that is needed to support the continuous growth of Taylor.
“It is going to improve our electrical service,” he said. “As Taylor grows, we are going to need more [electrical] capacity.”
Hamilton said the July planning commission meeting—slated for July 3—could have the electrical substation on the docket if NEMEPA has site plans completed and ready for presentation. The meeting is open to the public.
Abel said once the proposed substation is in place and functional the current station would be deconstructed.
“The site location for the new substation was chosen due to its close proximity to the proposed TVA transmission line and existing NEMEPA distribution lines,” Abel said.