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Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Ernie Maas
Edison Sault Electric Company announces that the first replacement cable to supply high voltage electric service to Mackinac Island was successfully installed on Monday December 18 by Durocher Dock and Dredge of Cheboygan. The cable laying began about 5AM from the Mackinac Island side and was completed by about 9PM on the St. Ignace side. The cable was manufactured in Norway by ALCATEL, a large European company, because several United States manufacturers, who also bid on the project, could not supply a similar product before this year-end. The cable had to be placed before this winter in order to provide the Island with a second reliable electricity alternative in addition to the current system. After its arrival from Europe last week, the cable was ready to be installed as early as last Friday, but windy weather conditions would not permit the installation until Monday. The 3 1/2 mile continuous run cable arrived on a 45 foot diameter spool which weighed 165 tons. The cable, which has a diameter of about five inches and weighs 20 pounds per running foot, has three copper conductors each 1 inch in diameter which are sealed in insulation and is capped with an outer protective steel winding. Mr. Ernie Maas – Vice President - Engineering & Operations for Edison Sault - offered the following comments: "During this entire project – from the time that we experienced the first problems on the Island in late July until now – we have been fighting a constant war on several fronts in order to get this cable placed into service. First we had to get someone to build it before year-end. Then we had to get it over here from Europe in a timely manner through the unpredictable North Atlantic November/December storm season . Once it got here, we had to have a special crane in Erie, Pennsylvania, load it unto Durocher’s barge to be shipped over Lakes Erie and Huron We then had to wait for a calm day in order to put it in the water. At the same time, we were racing the clock in order to get things done on land in both St. Ignace and Mackinac Island because we had a lot of onshore construction to do to accept the terminations for the cable. Given all of this, we are happy that we can give Mackinac Island a very fitting Christmas and New Year’s present" Craig Davidson – Edison Sault St. Ignace Division Manager – worked as the lead person in dealing with the many outside contractors required for the project. Davidson pointed out that there have been many people from several different companies which have been instrumental in giving Edison Sault special treatment in helping to get this major project done before winter. He particularly recognized companies such as ALCATEL who put Edison Sault ahead of other companies into their manufacturing queue and shipped the cable, Durocher Dock who placed the cable, Huskey Construction who did a great deal of heavy construction work to get both shores ready for cable terminations, North Electric and Hydaker Wheatlake who set poles into rock and also constructed lines on Mackinac Island and Novak Engineering who helped with the design work for this new addition. Finally, he complimented Northern Tree Service for tree clearing work on the Island and also several of Edison Sault’s own employees who worked diligently to bring things together. Edison Sault expects that the new cable will be energized some time later this week. The six diesel units which are still on standby on the Island will be dismantled and brought to the mainland to be returned to their owners in Lower Michigan. Edison Sault is also currently in the process of planning for another cable to be placed into service before the start of the 2001 summer tourist season.
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