REC Line

REC Line

May Cut

County

By SilARON KILPATRICK * Kapptfhannock News Staff Writer

At last Thursday’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors County Administrator John McCarthy said the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) wants to put in a new 10-mille transmission line from the Potomac Edison substation in Sperryville to the REC substation in Rixevville in Culpeper County.

The transmission line would require a 100-foot right-of-way, Mr. McCarthy said. It would avoid the ridge tops, passing behind Red Oak and Bessie Bell mountains, but the 100-foot right of way “would impose serious limitations on property owners," he said.

REC has had problems offering reliable service to Rappahannock and Culpeper customers from the Rixevville substation because of problems with its line from VEPCO into the substation. As a result REC customers have experienced many pbiver failures that have not affected Potomac Edison customer's. Mr. McCarthy said. The new line would offer back up for REC customers. REC would purchase power from Potomac Edison.

Last year, when REC requested a rate increase, many of its customers from Rappahannock complained to the State Corporation Commission about their service. At that time REC said it would try to establish back up by buying power from Potomac Edison. At a public meeting in the high school auditorium, representatives from REC also said they would consider selling the Rixevville service area to Potomac Edison. The company got about half of its rate increase and an order to improve service to customers served from the Rixevville substation.

“Will this require Potomac Edison to increase its line size?” Chairman Hubert Gilkev asked.

Mr. McCarthy said it would not.

“If they are going to supply enough for Rappahannock Electric, I can see them coming back and asking for an upgrade again,” Mr. Gilkey said. “Potomac Edison didn’t create REC’s problems,”

“The solution would be for their part of Rappahannock County to be turned over to Potomac Edison,”

See REC, Page A-6