PROGRESS ENERGY SUBSTATION

ON DOROTHEA DRIVE

by Jimmy Creech

 

At the September Boylan Heights Association meeting, it was reported that Progress Energy is considering building a substation at 627 Dorothea Drive.  President Lee Kirby asked Lea Davis, Dawson Roark, Paul Meyer and me to serve as a committee to investigate this report.

 

At the October BHA meeting, I gave the following report.  I was asked to post it on the Boylan Heights Web site and in the newsletter to inform the neighborhood prior to the November BHA meeting.

 

On October 6, 2006, we met with Progress Energy representatives Marty Clayton (Community Relations Manager) and Jim Umbdenstock (Lead Engineer whose job it is to find a suitable location for the substation). They said Progress Energy needs a new substation to provide adequate power to the expanding demand due to development in downtown Raleigh.  The substation would be similar to the one located across from the 42^nd Street Oyster Bar, corner of West and Jones streets. 

 

They said Progress Energy needs to locate the substation somewhere in the area bounded by Central Prison on the West, Hargett Street on the North, Dawson Street on the East and Western/Martin Luther King Boulevard on the South.  Jim Umbdenstock told us he had explored other properties in this area that better met the substation criteria, but these properties either were not available (owners not wanting to sell) or were too expensive.  He said that while the property on Dorothea Drive was not his preferred choice, it met the criteria for the substation and was for sale at a reasonable price.  Consequently, Progress Energy has a contract on the Dorothea Drive property with a closing date in December.  Because Progress Energy is a public utility, there is no need for it to request rezoning of 627 Dorothea Drive (currently zoned R10), nor is it necessary for a special permit or public hearing.

 

If Progress Energy follows through on its plan, the substation will be completed and in operation by mid to late 2008.

 

We told  Marty Clayton and Jim Umbdenstock that we were concerned about a substation being located on Dorothea Drive because it would pose environmental health risks to residents living near by, lower the property values in the surrounding neighborhood and block the Downtown West Gateway redevelopment plan (a comprehensive redevelopment plan that includes South Street from Boylan Avenue to Dawson Street, South Saunders Street from Lake Wheeler Road to Cabarrus Street, and the section of Dorothea Drive where Progress Energy proposes to build the substation).  We said the substation would discourage investment in that area and cause it to stagnate.

 

Mr. Clayton and Mr. Umbdenstock said they would consider our concerns and keep us informed as their plans for the substation proceeded.

 

On October 13, 2006,  we met with Mayor Charles Meeker, District D City Councilor Thomas Crowder and Kristin Darges, Raleigh Planning Department.  We told them about Progress Energy’s intention to build a substation on Dorothea Drive and shared our concerns.  They did not know about Progress Energy’s plan for the substation until we informed them.  They agreed with our concerns and Mayor Meeker said he would arrange a meeting with Progress Energy to discuss alternative locations for the substation.

 

On October 19, 2006, Mayor Meeker and members of the Raleigh Planning Department met with Marty Clayton.  After the meeting, Mayor Meeker reported to me that Progress Energy had agreed to investigate alternative sites for the substation.  The mayor and city planners encouraged Mr. Clayton to locate the substation in an industrial area instead of a residential area. Mr. Clayton also called me after the meeting and said Progress Energy will revisit the original properties, including those whose owners were initially unwilling to sell, as well as any newly identified properties that meet the required criteria.  He said this process may take up to two months before a decision is made.  He emphasized that Progress Energy has not yet purchased the Dorothea Drive property.

 

While the process and discussions have been encouraging, Progress Energy still has a contract on the Dorothea Drive property and no decision has yet been announced to eliminate it as the designated location for the substation.

 

The potential substation on Dorothea Drive, as well as possible proactive responses, will be discussed at the November Boylan Heights Association meeting on Tuesday November 28^th at 7 PM at Project Enlightenment.