SUPPLY, NC, December 14, 2003 - - - Motorists on Highway 17 from Leland to Shallotte were surprised recently by a large convoy of small trucks and police cars escorting a HUGE oversized carrier delivering one of two new 125 MVA transformers for a new Brunswick EMC substation.

The 205-foot long carrier held a 100-ton transformer, suspended on a “floating platform” between two sets of wheeled mechanisms that are specially designed for transporting this type of load and maneuvering around corners. The impressive rig had a total of 74 wheels and is the only one of its kind in the southeastern U.S.

The transformer was built in Wisconsin and shipped by rail to Leland, where the nine-man crew from Turner Transfer of Greensboro loaded the transformer onto their rig. The Brunswick EMC bucket trucks in the convoy were ready to move overhead wires, but it proved unneccessary, although a detour through downtown Shallotte was required as there was not enough clearance at the Rte 130/Hwy17 - Shallotte underpass. As the carrier approached the substation site, the turns grew tighter and tighter requiring much skill on the part of the driver and the logistics crew. On arrival at the site, the transformer was transferred to a temporary platform.

This unit is the first of two 125 MVA transformers ordered for the new Brunswick EMC transmission substation under construction on Old Shallotte Road in

Grissettown. These transformers will take high-voltage electricity from the delivery transmission grid and convert it into lower voltage electricity to be delivered to BEMC’s distribution substations, which then convey it to individual locations.

The Grissettown substation was conceived in the mid-1990’s as part of the co-op’s plan for meeting the growing demand for power throughout the BEMC service area. Land acquisition, permitting, environmental studies, engineering, selection of vendors for construction and materials, and site preparation are now complete and construction is underway. The target date for completion is the fall of 2004.

This new substation, identical in size to the Prospect substation in Supply will increase BEMC’s system capacity by more than 50%. It is positioned to provide additional capacity to handle summer peak demand from the Calabash and southern Brunswick County areas and (eventually) tie into Columbus County as well. The entire BEMC system will benefit from the increased capacity for handling peak demand as well as the ability to provide alternate routing paths in the event of an outage.