City approves spending $226,000 for purchase of 33 transformers

Sallisaw City Commissioners have approved spending up to $226,000 to ensure future electric service for residential development.

At Wednesday‚s special meeting in City Hall, the commissioners approved the purchase of 33 singlephase pad-mount transformers in an amount not to exceed $226,000. The purchase from Sunbelt Solomon in Temple, Texas, will allow the city‚s electric department to increase its stock on hand while also ensuring available stock for future development.

“This will allow us to replenish our transformer stock in the electric department. Also, it will allow Blakely [Smith, head of the city‚s electric department] to get ready for a subdivision that‚s fixing to start construction out by Carl Albert [State College],” City Manager Keith Skelton told the commissioners. “This is a subdivision property that was recently purchased, and the developer is getting ready to build [several duplexes]. This will allow Blakely to have enough stock to cover that, plus [have sufficient inventory] for emergencies that may occur as well.”

Shipping, however, is expected to take 70 weeks or more, so the new transformers won‚t arrive until at least January 2024.

“Getting transformers now is very hard,” Skelton explained. “I hope we don‚t run into any issues and delays. A lot of this stuff is dependent on the economy right now, availability of materials [and significant weather issues, such as hurricanes].”