Puget Sound Energy substation and transmission project
Central Pierce 115 kV transmission reliability improvement project
Fall 2009 project updates
- Puget Sound Energy is currently in the engineering and permitting phase
- Construction is scheduled to begin in spring and be completed in winter 2010
Project overview
PSE plans to construct two 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines from our existing 115 kV transmission line at 178th Avenue Northeast near Highway 410 to our Alderton substation, 14450 Old Military Road, Puyallup. The new transmission lines will run approximately 3.2 miles and parallel to the existing Bonneville Power Administration lines, and will interconnect with existing transmission lines between our White River and Electron Heights substations. PSE is building the new transmission line to increase the reliability and capacity of the electric system in the Bonney Lake and Orting/central Pierce County areas.
Currently, our existing transmission line between White River substation and Electron Heights substation has limited capacity and redundancy, meaning if the line serving the substation goes out, the substation and the customers served by it may lose power. The addition of the new transmission line to Alderton substation will create a “loop,” which means the substation will be fed by two transmission lines. Once complete, if one line goes out, the other line will continue to provide power to our substation and customers in the area.
What is a transmission line?
Transmission lines are key elements in the electrical distribution system. The lines safely transport high voltage electricity from power sources like dams and wind farms to substations in local communities. Transmission normally takes place at voltages of 55 kV and higher.
Committed to keeping you informed
PSE will continue to provide updates to the community. We will notify residents who live near the project area when construction will occur. It is our aim to complete the work with as little disruption as possible.
Download information
Download these PDF files for more detail on PSE's Central Pierce 115 kV transmission reliability improvement project.
Project map (247 KB PDF)
Fact sheet (161 KB PDF)
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