New Duke Energy substation coming to downtown Asheville. What could it look like?

Sarah Honosky, Asheville Citizen Times
·3 min read

ASHEVILLE - Plans for a downtown substation are moving forward ― now with a new location, which could have implications for the historic Thomas Wolfe Auditorium sorely in need of renovations, and will trigger a temporary substation to be installed at a long-awaited Patton Avenue site.

Asheville City Council heard a project update Jan. 18.

The Duke Energy proposal revolves around the rebuild of the aging Rankin Avenue substation that sits behind the Harrah's Cherokee Center, which is needed to meet growing energy needs, according to Rachel Taylor, the city's economic development division manager.

Initially, the rebuild was proposed for the parcel across the street on a narrow city owned parking lot. But community outcry over destruction of trees, a "fortress"-like design and the impacts on nearby businesses led to a pivot away from the property.

Duke Energy and the city of Asheville are exploring rebuilding the Rankin Avenue substation at the corner of Rankin Avenue and Hiawassee Street. The lot pictured across the street is the site of the former proposal.
Duke Energy and the city of Asheville are exploring rebuilding the Rankin Avenue substation at the corner of Rankin Avenue and Hiawassee Street. The lot pictured across the street is the site of the former proposal.

Instead, Duke is considering a new site at the corner of Rankin Avenue and Hiawassee Street, another city owned parking lot, currently used by Harrah's Cherokee Center employees.

About half of the substation's current footprint will remain, the rest extending into the adjacent site at 34 Hiawassee St. in an 'L' shape, freeing up part of the parcel behind the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

Of the three parcels involved in this plan, two are owned by Duke and the other, on the corner, by the city.

Concept images of the Rankin Avenue substation rebuild as seen from the corner of Rankin Avenue and Hiawassee Street.
Concept images of the Rankin Avenue substation rebuild as seen from the corner of Rankin Avenue and Hiawassee Street.

What's the plan?

The new plan will maintain the ability to renovate or expand the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Taylor said, minimize the impact to vegetation and "incorporate design elements" that keep with the surrounding area. It will require a temporary, portable substation be installed at a Patton Avenue site — the future home of a second new substation, approved by City Council in 2019.

After the Rankin rebuild is completed, Duke will begin construction of the permanent Patton Avenue substation in a single two-story building on a portion of the property at the corner of Knoxville Place, the site of the former Hunter Volvo car dealership.

The Rankin rebuild will be an air-insulated system, as is the current one. Some were disappointed by the decision, advocating instead for a gas-insulated substation, which is a more expensive, but often smaller, system.

The permanent Patton Avenue substation will be gas-insulated, a contingency that residents fought hard for, and Mayor Esther Manheimer expressed some concern that the temporary substation on that property would be an open-air system.

Concept images of the aerial overview of a proposed Rankin Avenue substation rebuild.
Concept images of the aerial overview of a proposed Rankin Avenue substation rebuild.

“I’m not excited about the open-air temporary substation use at that site," Manheimer said. "We spent a long time and a lot of community meetings getting it to where it is now."

The temporary substation on Patton Avenue will require a conditional zoning approval from City Council. Manheimer said she wanted to be sure safeguards would be in place so council would be able to "fulfill the commitment to community" in terms of long-term use of the property.

“It would be a lot of work we would be undoing if we changed that zoning, even on a temporary basis," Manheimer said.

Timeline

Key council decisions:

  • Council will vote on approval of a conditional zoning for the purpose of installing a temporary substation near Patton Avenue.

  • Council to vote on on approval of closing a paper right-of-way located on 34 Hiawassee Street, currently employee parking.

  • Planning and Economic Development Committee to review the land exchange with Duke Energy and vote to recommend to Council.

  • Council to vote on approval of a land exchange with Duke Energy for the purpose of installing a new downtown substation.

Duke will begin submitting its plans for review in January and February. If approved, construction will begin in fall 2024 with construction to be completed in fall 2025.

In summer 2024, the temporary substation will be installed on Patton Avenue. In winter 2025, Duke will complete restoration of the former Rankin Avenue substation site and the temporary substation will be removed. In 2026 and onward, Duke will begin construction of the new Patton Avenue substation.

More: Duke Energy proposes new Rankin Avenue substation location for downtown Asheville

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Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: New Duke substations coming to downtown Asheville