N.S. Power to get $31M from ratepayers for Michelin plant upgrade
Nova Scotia Power has received approval from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to install a dynamic voltage restorer at the Michelin Tire plant in Waterville. This $31 million electrical upgrade is aimed at improving the facility’s performance during brief power disruptions.
The dynamic voltage restorer will help boost load during voltage sags, ensuring that voltage is restored almost instantaneously after a disruption. This technology injects voltage within 1/100th of a second, providing a quick and efficient solution to power interruptions at the tire manufacturing facility.
The decision to implement this upgrade comes after complaints from large industrial operations, like Michelin, about frequent power interruptions leading to production shutdowns and financial losses. In a letter to the review board, the president of Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. highlighted the detrimental impact of these disruptions on the plant’s operations in recent years.
After thorough review, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board deemed the technology necessary for Nova Scotia Power to comply with regulations and approved the project costs as reasonable. This investment will not only benefit the Michelin Tire plant but also contribute to ensuring reliable power supply for other transmission customers in the region.
The approval of this application signifies a step towards enhancing the electrical infrastructure in Nova Scotia and addressing the needs of industrial facilities for uninterrupted power supply. With this upgrade, Nova Scotia Power aims to meet regulatory requirements and provide a more stable and reliable power system for its customers.
This article was written based on information sourced from CBC News, with additional reporting by Anjuli Patil. For more details on this development, readers can refer to the original article by Paul Withers.
