Herald-Twin Cities Substation Upgrade Project
Summary
SCH Number
2023060405
Public Agency
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Document Title
Herald-Twin Cities Substation Upgrade Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/14/2023
Document Description
The Herald-Twin Cities Substation Upgrade Project (Project) consists of replacing two transformers with two new 12.5 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformers and replacing the ground grid and associated equipment. The existing transformers are nearing their end of operational life and would be replaced to maintain service and reliability. The footprint of the existing substation would be expanded from 0.15 acres to 0.4 acres to allow the new equipment to be installed and the existing equipment to be removed in phases while maintaining service. A new substation gate and chain-link fence would be installed and the driveway would be repaved. New foundations for (2) 12.5MVA transformers, switchgear and 4 capacitor banks would be constructed and new ground grid, conduit, 69kV poles, and grounding wells would be installed. Surface excavation will be required for the removal of the existing foundations and reconstruction of the new transformers and switchgear concrete foundation pads with surrounding sub-grade oil containment areas. The transformer foundations can have a depth of about 5 feet and the switch pole foundations can have a depth of about 10 feet. All work would occur within the 0.5-acre SMUD owned property. Civil construction is scheduled to start in March of 2023 and would take about 5 months.
Contact Information
Name
Ammon Rice
Agency Name
SMUD
Job Title
Environmental Specialist, Supervisor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
herald
Counties
Sacramento
Regions
Citywide, Countywide
Other Location Info
The project site is an existing substation located at 12616 West Lane, Herald, California
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA PRC Section 21080(b)(9), 21084; CEQA Guidelines Sections 15303 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
SMUD has reviewed and determined that the Project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15061 (b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption). Section 15301 applies to projects that consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alternations of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. Thus, the Project will involve the repair and minor alternation of an existing substation facility resulting in negligible expansion of use. The common sense exemption in Section 15061 (b)(3) states that “Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA”. The project will serve the same purpose as the existing substation. All work will be within the existing SMUD owned parcel. Thus, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no further environmental review is required.
County Clerk
Sacramento
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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