Officials with the Imperial Irrigation District and the City of Indio, Calif., on Jan. 6 gathered on to break ground on the first of four major energy infrastructure projects that will collectively provide enough power to energize 16,000 single-family homes worth of power in the City of Indio.
The joint groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of the Avenue 42 Substation Project -- the first project planned under the partnership between IID and the Indio Electric Financing Authority (IEFA), which formed in 2023. The groundbreaking represents the District’s and the city’s ongoing partnership to support growth and economic development in the city.
“IID and our partners in the City of Indio are taking center stage as we meet the exponential growth opportunities for the city and communities IID is proud to serve across the Coachella Valley,” said IID Board Vice President JB Hamby. “The District has been focused on delivering innovative solutions to meet these opportunities by collaborating with the City of Indio and regional partners for the growth and success of the Coachella Valley.”
“Indio is planning for the future, and that means investing in critical infrastructure now,” said Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes. “With IID as our strategic partner in the development of the Indio Electric Financing Authority, we are taking a proactive approach to power planning that helps keep Indio moving forward. The Avenue 42 substation upgrade is a key investment in Indio’s future, supporting existing residents while ensuring the reliable power capacity and redundancy needed for new development and continued economic growth.”
The Avenue 42 Substation Upgrade Project, estimated at $12 million, will add a third transformer bank to the existing facility, increasing capacity. Construction is expected to be completed by late August 2026.
Additional joint projects planned under the JPA include:
- Avenue 40 Substation – Construction of a new substation with two transformer banks. The first transformer bank is anticipated to be energized in December 2026.
- Carreon Substation Expansion – Expansion of the existing substation with two additional transformer banks. Energization expected in Summer 2027.
- Northgate/Avenue 43 Project – Construction of a new substation with up to two transformer banks, anticipated to be commissioned in late 2027.
In addition to these projects, IID continues to advance critical infrastructure throughout its Coachella Valley service area, the California public power utility noted.
The Jan. 6 groundbreaking comes on the heels of the IID Board's action in November approving the construction of a new power substation in Thousand Palms, a $39.6 million project that will provide power to 8,000 additional customers.
This is in addition to an upgrade project for IID’s Avenue 58 substation in La Quinta, a $23.2 million project powering 4,000 customers.
“As your local public power provider, IID is pleased to develop these key projects with our Coachella Valley partners to increase the capacity of our system that will benefit local residents and businesses long into the future,” said IID General Manager Jamie Asbury. “It has taken some creativity to be able to do this together, and we all can be proud that everyone’s committed cooperation is making it happen.”
