Fruitridge and 88th Substation Expansion Project

Fruitridge and 88th Substation Expansion Project

SMUD is proposing to expand its existing Fruitridge and 88th Substation to allow for a second transformer bank and associated substation equipment to be installed. Two new wood poles would be installed directly adjacent to the substation to support 69 kilovolt (kV) conductors that would be extended from an existing line north of the substation. Conduit and three 12 kV cables would also be installed underground southwest and northeast of the substation and would tie into the existing distribution network. Installation of the new 12 kV cables would require work along a driveway on the Mitsubishi property and within the railroad corridor to the west. A new driveway to the substation would be installed on the north side of the expanded substation. The site of the proposed substation expansion is zoned manufacturing and industrial and the property would be purchased from the Mitsubishi Rayon Carbon Fiber and Composites facility. The Central California Traction railroad is located southwest, the Mitsubishi Rayon carbon Fiber and Composites facility is located northeast, and other commercial buildings are located southeast of the proposed substation expansion. The site is generally flat and a bio-swale is located north and east of the substation, which captures surface runoff from the Mitsubishi parking lot and conveys the water o storm drain. The substation would be expanded by about 0.2 acre and would extend to the north in an area that is currently covered with landscaped woodchips and ornamental plants and to the east in an area that is a paved driveway. The ground inside the expanded substation would be covered with crushed gravel similar to the ground conditions in the existing substation. A new transformer bank and associated substation equipment would be installed in the substation. The northeast running conduit and 12 kV cabled would be installed underground below a paved driveway and would be installed using an open trench. The southwest running conduit and 12 kV cable would be installed with the use of horizontal directional drilling (HDD), a method reduces ground-disturbing impacts and allows for avoidance of features such as the railroad tracks. The HDD would parallel the railroad tracks before jogging west and tying into SMUD's existing network. The expanded substation site would be surrounded by a chain-link fence with razor wire at the top for security purposes. A driveway would be constructed from the Mitsubishi parking lot and would run in a north-south direction to the substation to allow access to the new transformer. Construction is anticipated to start in November 2017 or soon thereafter. Construction will take approx. 8 months.

Sacramento