01 Mar
IREA routinely evaluates our distribution system to determine where, when and how much additional capacity is needed. Growing demand, investments in renewable generation and the need to upgrade facilities have prompted the addition of several new substations:
• Meadows Substation, currently under construction in The Meadows area of Castle Rock, will help meet demand associated with growth in the area. This substation is expected to be completed this summer.
• Pioneer Substation, west of Bennett, will interconnect the 80-megawatt Pioneer Solar facility to our system. Construction is expected to begin in the next couple months and be completed by the end of the year to coincide with Pioneer Solar’s commission.
• Franktown Substation, north of the intersection of Highways 86 and 83, will help our existing Castle Rock Substation answer demand from the growing Pinery, Castle Oaks and Terrain areas when it goes into service, tentatively in fall 2021. Construction is planned to begin in early 2021.
• The existing Brick Center Substation, south of Bennett, will be expanded to interconnect a future solar facility from which IREA will purchase 45 megawatts of power. Construction is expected to begin in 2021, but will depend on the development of the solar facility.
• Our continued upgrade of the transmission line between Grant and Como includes replacement of our existing Grant and Roberts Tunnel substations. Construction work on a larger Roberts Tunnel Substation will continue until summer 2021.
Several other new substations are in the early planning stages, but depend on future need and other factors. Look to this website for news on these and other system improvements.