Basin Electric upgrades communications system
Basin Electric is installing new microwave radios at 55 sites in North Dakota and South Dakota.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
- October 28, 2011
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| Crews install a new building at the Forbes, ND, site. |
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| Jason Batke inspects the New Salem, ND, site where the old building (right) is still in place. |
Basin Electric is upgrading a critical component of its communications system. New microwave radios and multiplex equipment will be installed at 55 sites in North Dakota and South Dakota. Aviat Networks was awarded the contract at the October board meeting.
Bryan Keller, manager of Basin Electric’s Transmission System Maintenance division, said the current microwave radio system has been in service for about 16 years and is no longer supported by the manufacturer.
“Also, with the system growth we have experienced, the existing system does not have the bandwidth to carry the required protective relaying, SCADA, mobile radio, data and voice channels,” he said. “The new microwave radio system will have six times the capacity.”
To accommodate the new equipment and make room for future expansion, 19 of the sites are receiving new equipment buildings and larger emergency generators as well.
Though many utilities are moving to fiber optics installed in the static line on transmission lines as their communications backbone, Keller said Basin Electric believes microwave systems are more reliable.
“In the event of a storm, the first thing to come down on a transmission line is the static line. That takes time to repair and place back in service. Microwave systems can be restored much more quickly in a crisis scenario. We do use a lot of fiber in our system, but we don’t depend on it 100 percent,” he said.
Keller said the microwave radio system will be in place by the end of 2012 and should serve the cooperative over the next 12 to 15 years.
Visit Basin Electric's YouTube channel to watch a video about the microwave radio system upgrade.
Headquarters
1717 East Interstate Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58503-0564 USA
Phone: 701.223.0441
Basin Electric Power Cooperative will provide cost-effective wholesale energy along with products and services that support and unite rural America.
