Interruption in the supply of electric transformers slows Bryan project.

An interruption in the supply of electric transformers has slowed a Bryan project to build a new substation, and the issue could get worse. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, have introduced legislation they hope will convince the Energy Department to reconsider a rule on materials used in transformers. They say it will further slow transformer production and make the U.S. more reliant on foreign-made transformers. They add, this can be especially problematic during an emergency, such as an outage caused by severe weather. Michael Beirne, vice president of external affairs for American Municipal Power and executive director of the Ohio Municipal Electric Association pointed specifically to a problem Bryan is having in building a new substation. He added OEMA members like Bryan work together to help each other and have been trading transformers if one is in stock and needed elsewhere.