East River Electric 2020 Annual Report

Transmission System
UPGRADE
PLAN
In 2020, East River marked the midway
point of our 2018-2021 construction
work plan. We are also now well into the
development and construction of many
of the projects that are outlined within
our Transmission System Upgrade Plan.
The upgrade plan, which will invest about $700
million over 10 to 12 years to accelerate additions
and replacements to our infrastructure, was originally
approved by East River’s board of directors in August
2018.
The plan’s approval came with the understanding that
it will be reassessed during each year’s budgeting
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process and can be adapted as needed based on new
technologies, power supply costs, or other changes.
East River set the upgrade plan into motion at the
start of 2019 by submitting a RUS construction work
plan and receiving approval on the first four years
of work outlined within the upgrade plan. East River
also reorganized and expanded staff to carry out the
upgrade plan’s work while continuing to maintain the
current system.
“East River’s upgrade plan will provide for new load
growth, strengthen the backbone of our transmission
system, replace aging infrastructure that has passed
its useful life, meet the reliability expectations of
our membership, develop and implement optimized
planning and design criteria and increase the