MANSFIELD — An estimated $8.4 million project to supply more electrical power to the 179th Cyberspace Wing in Mansfield took another step forward Tuesday.
The city’s Board of Control awarded a $587,180 contract to Encorus Group Engineering from New York to design a new electrical substation for the Ohio Air National Guard unit at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport.
The National Guard Bureau will reimburse the city for the project, which was approved by Mansfield City Council in August 2025 through a Military Construction Cooperative Agreement for the substation and distribution system.
Electrical needs for the unit have increased since its flying mission officially changed in 2023 when it became the first Air National Guard’s cyberspace wing. The announcement about the change took place in 2021.
“They approached us to enter into an agreement whereby the city constructs an improvement to facilitate their mission,” city engineer Bob Bianchi said Tuesday morning.
“They have enough electrical power out there to complete their mission now. But starting at the end of 2027, early 2028, when they have additional cybersecurity components, that’s when they need the (additional) electric.
“So they need this constructed by 2028,” Bianchi said.
The city sought design engineers for the project and settled on Encorus, an “employee-owned small business founded in 1996” that has “a staff of over 100 full-time professionals … across all major (engineering) disciplines.”
According to the project overview, “The new substation would tap into the Ohio Edison Longview-Ontario 138 kV line, which is approximately 0.6 miles south of the ANG base. The ANG has selected a location at the southwest corner of the site to house the new substation.
“The site would need investigation such as a survey and geotechnical testing. The larger equipment pieces that comprise the substation would consist of a medium voltage switchgear, transformer and circuit breaker,” according to the Encorus project overview.
An electrical substation acts as an intermediary node in the power grid, transforming voltage levels (stepping up for transmission, stepping down for distribution), switching circuits to manage power flow, and protecting the grid from faults.
They ensure electricity safely moves from power plants to homes and businesses.
Bianchi said the substation and the new Ohio Edison line would be constructed at the same time.
“I would consider this a substantial substation,” he said, “providing the load necessary for their mission.”