Vol75-6 June 2025
Member newsletter for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative
About the cooperative • Rising costs, smart choices • Reliability you can count on • Investing in our people • Powering community, not just electricity • Powering forward • Financials • SOS tracker • Community calendar
RELIABILITY YOU CAN COUNT ON
SMECO is committed to reliability and consistently maintains and improves the infrastructure and technology on the electric system. In 2024, the cooperative made major investments in system reliability, including:
- Replacing aging infrastructure
- Trimming and spraying more than 831 miles of vegetation
- Building two new substations
- Constructing 2,383 projects
- Installing 86 miles of underground primary distribution line
- Inspecting 6,797 poles and replacing 725
- Installing 1,691 transformers
- Activating approximately 10,000 smart sensors on area lights and streetlights
One major investment in reliability included breaking ground on a new substation in Waldorf, which will replace the aging substation nearby. The new substation uses a box structure station construction, which is a type of substation design that incorporates advanced modular construction techniques and compact, standardized components—a great design for urban areas. The Waldorf substation was energized in early 2025 and is one of two new substations.
The last hydraulic line recloser on SMECO’s lines was replaced with an electronic unit in September, completing the transition away from units with insulating oil. The newer reclosers remove the risk of a potential oil spill, provide data logs for troubleshooting device operations, and allow for reprogramming.
Another investment in reliability not only saves time and money, it will also save some of our local furry and feathered neighbors. Squirrels and other wildlife are among the top causes of power outages. This has been especially apparent at the Golden Beach substation, where the critters have affected reliability and cost the cooperative time and money replacing damaged equipment.
Construction on the Waldorf substation
Installing a new recloser
Installing wildlife guards
In October, the cooperative outfitted the Golden Beach substation with wildlife guards that block exposed cable and other energized components, keeping the critters from being able to stand on steel and touch something that is energized. These deterrents will protect the system for up to 40 years, improving reliability and reducing the need for expensive repairs. It will also improve the livelihood of our local wildlife.
SMECO will make many more improvements to harden its electric system in the next five years, thanks to a $32 million grid resilience grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In an intense competition for grant money, the cooperative was one of only 16 utilities nationwide chosen in our category in 2023. The contract was finalized in 2024. The work will include rebuilding the transmission line between Hughesville and Chalk Point, undergrounding distribution lines in 30 strategic locations, and installing fiber optic connections for substations in Charles and Prince George’s counties.
