The Imperial Irrigation District recently celebrated the completion of a major upgrade project at its main substation in Westmorland, Calif., enhancing energy system reliability and resiliency to serve its power customers long into the future, the California public power utility said on Oct. 9.
The $1.7 million investment in this project is part of IID’s overall Powering Our Community Together initiative, in which more than 270 projects are planned during the next 15 years to modernize critical power infrastructure and enhance grid reliability and energy operations.
“These major improvements here in Westmorland will boost system reliability, increase operational flexibility, and support the long-term stability of our electrical network to better serve our customers,” said IID Division 1 Director Alex Cardenas.
Authorized in early June, IID completed the fast-paced project in September. The work involved upgrading the substation to support two independent energy sources, rather than one, to help prevent power service interruptions.
“This investment into our electric grid represents our commitment to serving our customers, meeting increasing energy demands, improving service, and protecting the resources we all depend on,” said IID Board Chairwoman Gina Dockstader, as she thanked IID leadership and staff who helped make it happen.
Resident Stella Mata, who has lived in the community for 72 years, spoke about the positive impact the upgrades will have on local residents, businesses, and first responders.
“This project is a perfect example of what a public utility should be,” Mata said, who thanked all involved for making it happen. “It’s a testament to the fact that we can – and must – continue to modernize our essential services to keep pace with our needs,” she said, adding that it’s “another milestone in IID’s ongoing commitment to a stronger, more resilient and more reliable grid for us all.”
Prior to the upgrade project, the substation relied on a single 34.5-kilovolt power source. It now has two independent sources to improve reliability and resiliency.
The Westmorland Substation Upgrade project also includes adding two large circuit breakers, disconnect switches, and protective relays, and installing new foundations, support structures, control panels, and a battery system to support substation operations.
Related upgrades were also made to IID’s Brawley Diesel and Rockwood Substations, including replacing an existing breaker and updating the protection systems to ensure coordination.
