Utility changes, growswith

By Maria Lockwood mlockwood@ superiortelegram.com

One of Superior’s oldest businessesremains as relevant today as it was when it was formed more than130 years ago

SuperiorWater,Light &Powerwas incorporated Sept. 28, 1889,from amergeroffour existing utilities —Superior Waterworks Company, Superior Light &Fuel Company,Superior-Duluth Electric Company and SuperiorArclight & Power, according to the Superior-DouglasCounty Chamber of Commerce andthe Douglas County HistoricalSociety.

In theyears since, it’s kept itsmomentumby changing with the times and making strong connections,saidRob Sandstrom, the utility’s president. Theorganization is focused on safety, integrity, environmental stewardship, community engagement, employee growth andcustomer excellence

“A lotofwhatyou’ve seenusdointhe last five years at Superior Water Light &Power hasbeen justthat,listening to the voice of our customer and taking advantageof technology,” he said Water

Theutilitycompany built itsoriginalwater treatment plant in 1897, Sandstromsaid, pulling in Lake Superior water from Minnesota Point through aflexible pipe that was installed in 1893.

“We startedreconstructing and builtour new water plant in 1986,” Sandstromsaid, and it was commissioned bythe time thecompany celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 1989.

Updates havecontinued over the years.

Thewater lineunder the bay and horizontalinfrastructurewas upgraded in the2000s.A

1.5 million gallonwater tower was constructed in Superior’s South End neighborhood in 2008, and a1.5 million gallon reservoir wasbuilt on the city’s eastside two yearslater to replace underground facilities thatdated back to 1889 and1912.

Updatingold pipesand valveshas beenanongoing task.

“Wehavesome water valves that dateback to the1890sthatare still in service,” Sandstrom said.“It’s amazing how long some of thattechnologylasts.”

The company is replacing them with polyethylenepipes, which have an estimated 300-yearlifespan and willhelp curb water loss.It’s hard to pinpointthe areas with the oldest pipes, Sandstrom said,asthey’respread throughout the city. The companyhas a30-year waterplantoaddress aging infrastructure Power

The utility generated its own power fornearly 100 years.

“Westopped generating at theWinslow Station around 1981,” Sandstromsaid.

Since then, the business hasbeenawholesale power customer of Minnesota Power.

That could change soon, Sandstrom said. The companyhas proposed to build a470 kilowatt hour solar energy array on a2.5 acre parcel at 2828 Hammond Ave. near Heritage Park It is currently undergoing regulatory review by the Public Service CommissionofWisconsin.

“That would be the first generation we’ve had back within our Superior Water,Light &Power fleet since Winslowclosedin1981,” Sandstromsaid.

If approved, the solar garden could be built in about ayear. Construction would start once enough customers have subscribedtothe solar energy project.

“A lotofthis is just respondingtowhatcustomers are asking for,” Sandstromsaid.

Reliable power is a company focus,aswell.

In addition to adding and improving electric substations, Superior Water, Light &Power has installedahandful of resettablefuses at areas thattendtoexperience more temporaryoutages.The technology resets the fuse on its own, Sandstromsaid, getting customers back in service sooner.

Service was expanded in 1993tothe Brule, Poplar, Lake Nebagamon and LakeMinnesuingareas of Douglas County.Parklandand Solon Springs were added in 1994.

Althoughthe natural gasinfrastructure is much newerthanthe water system, those pipes are also being upgraded to polyethylene, Sandstromsaid.

Today

The Superiorbusiness hasbeen awholly-ownedsubsidiary of ALLETE-Minnesota Power since 1943, amove that allowed Superior Water, Light & Power to utilizeMinnesota Power’sIT, systems operations and human resourcesdepartments. The utility employs about 80 people and serves roughly 15,000 electric customers, 12,500 naturalgas customers and 10,000water customers.

Oneofthe utility’s newest technological upgrades, advanced meters, touchesall of them.The project started in 2016 and was expected to finish at theend of 2020, Sandstromsaid.

But the COVID-19 pandemic hasslowed the project. Installation of new water meters, in particular, have been held up becausethose are inside homes, Sandstromsaid.

The metersoffermore accurate readings,twoway communication to allowfor remotereadings and detailed data customers can use to trackdaily water and power usage. Alarms can evenbeset on the electric side andpairedwith the outage system

“Weget anotification right away when one of those meters goes outof power,” Sandstrom said.

Afew times, he said, aline workerhas been out restoring power toa customer before they’ve gotten upand realized thepower wasout

“That’s thereal value ofthe technology thatwe have there,” Sandstrom said.

Through the customer portaland app, people can dialinand check their owndata.Sandstromsaidsomecustomers havediscovered toilet leaks throughthe program;others have set up alarms on vacation to ensure their house is