Tucson Electric Power Co. plans a busy fall with several power-line projects in the Tucson area to boost service reliability, after finishing a major new transmission line in Pinal County.
TEP has completed the Pinal Central-Tortolita transmission line, a 500-kilovolt transmission line in Pinal County that it says will boost service reliability for customers across its territory.
The new line extends about 41 miles from the Pinal Central Substation east of Casa Grande to TEPโs Tortolita Substation, southeast of the Red Rock area.
TEP says it plans to energize the line in November, once a $61 million expansion of the Tortolita Substation is complete.
TEP says the $76 million line construction project will help it meet future energy needs by expanding access to renewable energy and other generating resources.
The utility also is upgrading several 138-kilovolt transmission lines to handle increased energy deliveries through the Pinal Central-Tortolita line.
TEP plans to spend $2 million to install new, higher-capacity wires and other equipment along a 10-mile stretch of a line linking the North Loop Substation, located near Interstate 10 and Twin Peaks Road, to the Rillito Substation, near North La Caรฑada Drive and West River Road.
TEP also is spending $3 million on similar upgrades to a line connecting the North Loop Substation and the West Ina Substation, located near Interstate 10 and West Ina Road.
Upgrades to three other 138-kilovolt lines were completed earlier this year.
The company says that since the beginning of 2012, it has spent more than $450 million in upgrades to its transmission and distribution system, addressing changing energy needs while preserving reliability and allowing quicker service restoration after outages.
Other TEP transmission and distribution system projects planned around the Tucson area this fall include:
- The replacement of about 40 wooden poles with nearly 30 metal transmission poles and new overhead power lines along North Silverbell Road, north of West Grant Road, to accommodate a road-widening project. The project is expected to be completed in December.
- Installation of 26 metal power poles and removal of more than 40 wooden poles near Interstate 19 and West Ajo Road to accommodate a road improvement project. During a project slated for completion this month, crews also will install new, higher-capacity wires along a transmission line.
- Upgrading underground cable and other equipment along a one-third-mile stretch of North Sabino Canyon Road near East Tanque Verde Road, a mile-long stretch of underground cable and other equipment along East Broadway near South Houghton Road, and a half-mile stretch of South Midvale Park Road near West Irvington Road.
- Upgrading 12 transmission poles near East Kleindale Road and North Dodge Boulevard.
- Upgrading eight transmission poles and installing communication equipment near Interstate 19 and West Duval Mine Road in Green Valley.
TEP says its electrical system spans 1,155 square miles, including about 5,100 miles of transmission and distribution lines, more than 4,300 cable-miles of underground distribution lines, and nearly 100,000 power poles and transmission structures.
