Board members and staff from Choptank Electric Cooperative and Ocean Pines gathered together on Oct. 22 to promote the Ocean Pines Substation’s recent installment of a third transformer.  
The third transformer was installed to help serve the recent load growth in the Ocean Pines area.   
“Approximately 50 percent of the time, if one of the existing transformers had to be removed from service for repairs, the remaining unit could not serve the current load. People would be forced to endure rotating blackouts until the original problem was repaired,” said Todd Bireley, vice president of Engineering Services at Choptank Electric Cooperative.  
The Choptank Electric Board of Directors committed to an expenditure of nearly $1 million for this system upgrade.
“This system upgrade will help improve reliability and prevent blackout occurrences for our members,” said Dave Bruning, a Choptank board member representing Worcester County.
Dr. Frank Ruffo, Choptank board member representing Ocean Pines, noted that the new transformer was Choptank’s largest substation, which also serves the largest volume of members.  
“This investment was just another step for us to better serve our members in the Ocean Pines area,” he said.
The third transformer was delivered in February of 2015, assembled in March, and was finished in May, when protective gear was installed. The third transformer was energized on Sept. 29 and began serving members on Oct. 12.
“We’re very pleased that Choptank Electric Cooperative is taking measures to ensure that Ocean Pines members are not without power during peak times for energy usage such as summer and winter,” said Cheryl Jacobs, vice president of the Ocean Pines Board of Directors.  
The Ocean Pines Substation currently serves approximately 9,200 meters.
For more information about Choptank Electric Cooperative, visit www.choptankelectric.coop.