View of the north cable crossing area from the Enatai Cable Station

Project updates

• As this work is in its early stages, you may notice PSE staff and contractors in the project area conducting fieldwork, such as soil testing or surveying existing infrastructure.

Project overview

The electric infrastructure that serves Mercer Island is aging and needs to be replaced to create a more reliable and resilient power grid.

PSE plans to replace the underwater electric cables that serve Mercer Island, increase the cables’ capacity, and make upgrades to the four cable stations located at each end of the cables (see project area to the right). By investing in these improvements, PSE will:

• Minimize the risk of outages and unplanned repairs
• Support increasing electrification and the island’s future energy needs
• Increase service reliability for customers
• Strengthen the system’s resilience against severe weather

To help ensure continued electric service during construction, PSE will install a temporary overhead transmission line along the south side of I-90 before beginning construction on the underwater cable crossings. This temporary line adds redundancy to the electric system, reducing the risk of outages during construction.

Process and timeline

PSE is currently working on engineering and permitting and conducting initial outreach about this project. We aim to share more information about construction timing when we are further along with the design.

Throughout this project, we will keep the community informed of our progress, opportunities to engage, and potential impacts.

Contact us

We welcome your questions and comments!
Please contact:
1-888-404-8773
MajorProjects@pse.com

Learn more

• Glossary