California public power utility Truckee Donner Public Utility District this summer will be tackling capital and maintenance projects on both its electric and water systems that will continue to enhance its ability to serve the community reliably and safely, it said on July 14.
TDPUD does long-term, strategic planning to lay out the best way to invest rates back into utility infrastructure.
From maintenance projects to piloting and implementing new technologies, the following are some of the projects the utility will be working on:
Water Utility Projects
Pipeline Replacements
TDPUD will be replacing aging water pipeline in Sierra Meadows and Tahoe Donner this summer. Pipeline replacement projects are one of the many ways TDPUD ensures that its system can reliably deliver high-quality water to its customers. Every year, TDPUD identifies which areas of the system to prioritize for replacement, based on the age of the pipeline and the likelihood of leaks.
System Maintenance and Rehabilitation
TDPUD is constantly working on maintaining its water system, from cleaning and painting tanks to rehabilitating infrastructure, tanks and wells.
This year, a lot of focus will be on Cla-Val maintenance across the system, along with a flushing project in Olympic Heights to improve water quality in that zone. Valves control the flow of water, allowing TDPUD to isolate sections of the system and change water direction.
"It’s important to service this vital piece of equipment, because if they fail then TDPUD can’t boost water through its system, which is especially crucial in a system that pumps its water from deep underground and then moves it to neighborhoods at higher elevations," it said.
Leak Detection and Master Meter Installation
In preparation for new state water use regulations, TDPUD is focused on identifying water loss and repairing leaks in its distribution system. TDPUD has different ways it detects leaks, including using satellite technology to locate pipeline leaks underground, installing temporary antennas on hydrants to monitor water flow data, and installing master meters to more accurately pinpoint where water loss is occurring.
This year, a new master meter will be installed in Prosser Lakeview. The utility's water team can then use the data from these meters, coupled with business intelligence software, to better target leaks.
Increased Fire Flow in Donner Lake
TDPUD will be retrofitting fire flow equipment on the south side of Donner Lake, at the existing Red Mountain tank. This project will increase service reliability and fire flow in a high wildfire risk area.
Though urban water systems like TDPUD’s were never meant to sustain the amount of water needed for fighting a wildfire, increasing the amount of water we can bring through the system is a small part TDPUD can play in helping Truckee be wildfire ready.
Electric Utility Projects
Wildfire Mitigation and System Hardening
Many of TDPUD’s electric system maintenance and upgrades revolve around mitigating the risk of electric infrastructure sparking a wildfire. Here are some of the service reliability and safety projects TDPUD will take on this summer:
• Pole Replacements: TDPUD replaces wooden poles when their condition makes them susceptible to damage or failure.
• Flat Topping/Horizontal Construction: Some spans of power lines are attached to power poles in a vertical configuration, but bad weather or snow unloading can induce the lines to slap together and cause a power outage. TDPUD reconfigures the lines to attach to power poles horizontally, so there is less chance that they come in contact.
• Idle Line Removal: TDPUD will be removing power poles and lines of the system that are no longer in use, for system safety and to not have to maintain vegetation requirements on this equipment anymore.
• Vegetation Management: TDPUD continues to invest heavily in vegetation management, to increase the reliability and safety of its electric system.
• Engineering Work: TDPUD’s electric engineering team is working on designing more system hardening work, by analyzing risk and working with peer utilities to determine how these upgrades should be prioritized throughout the system.
Northwoods Covered Conductor Pilot Project
TDPUD will be installing new wildfire mitigation equipment in an area of Northwoods Boulevard in Tahoe Donner, to test and explore whether this equipment could be useful to its electric operations.
The test program will include installation of ductile iron power poles, crossarms made of a composite of fiberglass and plastic, and covered conductor wire, which encapsulates power lines in an insulating material to minimize the chance of igniting a wildfire due to contact with tree branches, animals, or other items.
TDPUD will weigh the effectiveness of the equipment against the cost, time and effort it takes to install, to determine whether it will be installed in other areas of the system.
Martis Valley Substation Rebuild
After significant planning and engineering work, the Martis Valley Substation modernization project will begin its construction phase this summer.
This is one of the four substations that connect TDPUD’s distribution system to transmission lines, and the only one that has not undergone a modernization and rebuild project since its initial construction.
Martis Valley Substation, built in 1981 is nearing the end of its service life. It serves critical areas of the TDPUD system and requires a rebuild and upgrade to ensure safe and reliable operation into the future.
TDPUD engineering staff began this project in 2021, working with consultants to determine the full scope of work that should be accomplished. The proposed scope ensures improved reliability, operability and maintainability of the substation for the next 40 years.
Because of the size of the project, it has been split into two parts to be completed over two construction seasons. The first phase is planned for 2025 and focuses on the civil infrastructure work in the existing substation yard. This includes grading, installation of conduits, vaults and boxes, ground grid improvements, and concrete foundation work. The remaining work is expected to be completed in 2026.
TDPUD is a public utility district created in 1927 and overseen by a locally elected board of directors. TDPUD is a not-for-profit entity that provides the greater Truckee, California, area with reliable and high-quality water and power services, while guiding the community to conserve resources.
