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July 24, 2015
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Higher costs delay submarine cable project at Cutler base
by Lora Whelan

 

        The laying of a submarine cable that would provide power to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic Detachment Cutler has been delayed by at least another year. Originally planned for a two‑week construction period during either the winter of 2014B2015 or 2015B2016, NAVFAC Mid‑Atlantic Public Affairs Officer Tom Kreidel says that the "more optimistic date" is probably during the winter of 2016B2017. However, Kreidel explains that dates can't be confirmed until "we reprogram through Congress."
     The reason for the reprogram and the delay is linked to a significant cost increase. The request for proposals went out, but "the bids came in higher than anticipated," Kreidel states. The original estimated and authorized cost was set at $13.8 million. According to documents supplied by Elmer Harmon, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2635, an increase to the original amount brings the total construction cost closer to $44.5 million. Kreidel could not confirm or comment on the numbers.
     Harmon is concerned about the cable project and sees even less of a reason for it now that the cost has more than tripled. He says, "Generally one would expect with that kind of monetary investment that jobs would be created. I don't see that happening." He adds, "The Navy's been trying to get commercial power since the 1990s. The union remains opposed because we believe there will be job losses." The base's power is supplied by a power generation station that utilizes five diesel generators, although generally only one is online at a time. There are five power plant watchmen and five day mechanics. Two of the employees have been at the plant for over 25 years; the other eight have been there from three to 10 years. Harmon says, "The jobs provide a good living for Washington County."
     The commercial power project calls for an undersea cable to be buried five feet below the bottom of Machias Bay. Starting from a spot close to Jasper Beach, it would stretch 6.7 miles across to the Cutler base and operate at 34.5 kilovolts with peak capacity of 15 megawatts. Power would be supplied by Emera Maine. The Cutler base provides essential communications for the U.S. submarine fleet located around the world with the operation of a very low frequency transmitter that must be operable at all times.
     Harmon has been questioning the reliability of Emera Maine's power supply since 2013, when the cable project became one step closer to reality. He continues to cite the 99.999% reliability rating of the diesel generating plant. "The union position isn't just the loss of jobs, but also Emera Maine's ability to provide reliable power." He says that anyone in Washington County knows that power can be interrupted during storms and winter weather.
     In 2013 Kreidel pointed to the estimated 99.992% rate of reliability from the Bucks Harbor substation now run by Emera. In addition he noted that the undersea cable for the Cutler base will not be plagued by delivery outages caused by ice and downed poles and trees.
     The Naval Facilities Engineering Command issued a fact sheet summarizing cost savings if the diesel power plant were placed in back‑up status. Kreidel confirms that the annual numbers are still current with about 1,420,000 in consumption of diesel fuel at a cost of $3.9 million, 34,000 gallons of lube oil costing $27,000, and maintenance and parts coming to $275,000. The total annual cost, without labor factored in, under the diesel plant is about $4,212,000.      The Navy anticipates that with the conversion to back‑up status, the plant would cost about $63,000 to run, and with the additional cost of purchasing commercial power would still result in savings of about half the annual cost. However, with the tripled cost of construction, the pay‑back period would no longer be the short six years formerly estimated by the Navy.
     As for manpower, Kreidel states that a manpower study would be conducted on the future needs for the generator as a back‑up plant, and that the construction job itself might be able to tap into local employee pools. In addition, plans to bury the cable stay as they were in 2013. Kreidel says, "We are still planning to bury the cable approximately five feet below the sea floor and provide accurate cable location information to NOAA so that they would plot the cable as a line on navigation charts rather than a wider 'cable area' when the position is uncertain. The determination on the size of any stand‑off area would be in the hands of NOAA and the state from there."

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