Are you considering buying a house near an electrical substation?
This equipment is a critical part of the electrical power system, and there are benefits and drawbacks to living by one.
In this blog, we’ll tell you what you need to know about purchasing a property near a substation.
Let’s get started.
1. What is an electrical substation?
Substations are part of the electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system.
They transform voltage from high to low (or vice versa) and perform several other critical functions.
Before the power reaches the consumer from the generating station, the electric power is likely to flow through several substations at different voltage levels.
2. Who owns a substation?
Substations are often owned and operated by an electrical utility.
However, they can also be owned by a large industrial or commercial customer.
Generally, they’re unattended facilities that rely on SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, a computer-based monitoring system) for remote supervision and control.
3. Where does the term “substation” originate from?
The term “substation” comes from the days before the distribution system became a grid.
Central generation stations started to become larger and small generating plants were converted to distribution stations.
These smaller stations would receive their energy supply from a larger plant instead of using their own generator.
In the beginning, substations were only connected to a single power station as subsidiaries of that power station.
Now, of course, they are part of a much more complicated system.
4. What are the different types of substations?
There are a variety of ways that substations can be described.
This includes their voltage class, their applications within the power system, the method used to insulate most connections, and the style and materials the structures use.
We’ll include the most common types of substations below:
In the simplest situation, all transmission lines have the same voltage.
It resembles a distribution substation, but power flows in the opposite direction.
Converter substations may be associated with high-voltage direct current converter plants, traction currents, or interconnected networks.
These stations are sometimes used as collectors and distribution stations.
5. What are the components of a substation?
Substations have transformers that lower the very high transmission voltages into a voltage of less than 10,000.
This voltage is suitable for distribution systems (or the lines that deliver power to the consumer).
Substations have circuit breakers and switches that allow the isolation and direct control of certain parts of the transmission and distribution systems.
You’ll also find capacitors in substations to smooth the voltage output.
6. Where is a substation located?
The location of a substation must be carefully considered.
Sufficient land area is required for installation with necessary clearances for electrical safety.
The land must also have access for heavy equipment so that large apparatuses (such as transformers) can be properly maintained.
Substations that are in coastal areas may be impacted by flooding or tropical storms.
These substations may need to be on elevated structures to keep equipment sensitive to surges hardened against these elements.
Additionally, the site should have room for expansion due to load growth or planned transmission additions.
Environmentally, the location should consider drainage, noise, and road traffic effects.
Finally, the substation should be reasonably central to the distribution area that must be served.
The site must be secure from intrusion so that passersby cannot get in and people are protected from electric shock and arcs.
Ensuring the substation is secure will also protect the electrical system from misoperation due to vandalism.
7. Will the EMFs impact you?
EMFs (electric and magnetic fields) are produced wherever electricity is used.
This means they’re around us constantly in daily life.
People are exposed to EMFs from the distribution lines along the street and the wiring in their homes.
That said, you can also experience EMFs in schools, factories, offices, public transport, etc.
While not many people live close to a high-voltage power line, those who do will also experience this as a significant source of exposure.
In the last several decades, there have been some indications that EMFs have caused diseases like childhood leukemia.
However, the evidence for this linkage is lacking and the science is uncertain.
Ultimately, it remains only a possibility.
What you should do before purchasing a home near power lines is do your due diligence.
There are a variety of charts that explain safe distances from power lines, and there are plenty of homes that experience the benefits of living near a substation (see below) while minimizing risks.
8. What are the advantages of living near a substation?
You can enjoy a quiet life.
When you’re located right along the lines, you’ll benefit from being the first supplied without many interferences.
Because of this, properties nearby often have low demand and are priced reasonably.
There are also regulations about other activities, including farming, flying kites/model planes, shooting, etc.
If there’s an accidental power cut, the space in-between minimizes the risk of electrocution.
9. What are the disadvantages?
Unfortunately, the powerlines can affect your ability to do this.
If they are damaged, these repairs can take quite a while and will likely disrupt your daily activities.
You may make the decision to live there after weighing the pros and cons, but that doesn’t mean that your friends or family will enjoy visiting or staying the night.
While more recent studies have found a weak relationship between these two, the earlier research has created fear regarding living near power lines and substations.
While science has not indicated there is a connection, there has also not been conclusive research against it.
10. How does a public utility district (PUD) decide when and where to locate a substation site?
As noted above, determining the location of a substation is complex.
Similarly, when a PUD decides when and where to locate a new substation, numerous factors are involved.
Here are the selection criteria:
1. The PUD must ensure that the existing stations don’t exceed 100 percent of rated capacity.
2. The substation must meet expected growth based on country construction estimates.
1. Must be located close to existing transmission lines.
2. Must be located near existing load and load growth.
3. The substation must be reasonably central to the distribution area to be served.
The code standards for supply stations must apply.
Must be adequate for substation equipment.
In some circumstances, a conditional use permit must be issued by the city or county depending on the location of the site.
11. Why would a PUD consider putting a substation in a residential area?
Because it is necessary to place substations at or near electrical demands, they can sometimes end up in residential areas.
Here, they’ll convert the power system voltage from transmission levels to distribution levels so that it can both safely and efficiently be delivered down our streets.
12. What type and size of substations will PUD build?
New substations are often 28 MVA (or 28 million watts).
The PUD typically requires a minimum of one acre of flat land for a substation.
The substation has a smaller footprint than this, but the rest of the land is used for both the setback and the fencing that surrounds the substation.
13. What type of aesthetics improve the look of a substation?
One of your main hesitations of living in a community may be that a substation is not attractive.
However, when a substation is constructed, PUD staff often works with the community to ensure that the design and landscaping are as favorable as they can be.
Here are some ways the PUD may improve the aesthetics around your substation.