Duke Energy Florida opens new state-of-the-art substation in St. Petersburg

Duke Energy Florida on Monday opened its Bayboro electrical substation last week, which was developed to meet the power needs of downtown St. Petersburg.

This state-of-the-art facility is the first gas insulated switchgear (GIS) substation that Duke Energy Florida has constructed in the state. It was placed into service on Nov. 29.

Most substations are built outside — uncovered and exposed to severe weather conditions, including lightning, hurricanes, and water surges during major storms. But the Bayboro substation is located indoors and is elevated to protect the electrical equipment from such weather conditions. The new facility can withstand 150 mile-per-hour winds.

“We work hard on behalf of our customers to ensure safe, reliable, cleaner energy,” Duke Energy Florida President Melissa Seixas said. “We are leveraging innovative technology across our Florida service territory to upgrade the energy grid and increase resiliency and energy efficiency for our customers.”

The GIS substation is also built with a feature to capture potential spills and help prevent impacts to the surrounding area. In addition, the overall footprint is approximately 35 percent smaller than the previous adjacent substation.

The new substation will meet the increasing demand for power in the fast-growing St. Petersburg community. It also supports critical infrastructure, including the University of South Florida’s St. Peterburg campus, All Children’s Johns Hopkins and Bayfront hospitals, Tropicana Field, and numerous buildings and high-rises.

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 10,200 megawatts of electric capacity to approximately 1.9 million customers in Florida.