South Bay Substation Relocation Project

Project at a Glance

Construction at SDG&E’s South Bay Substation Relocation Project in Chula Vista continues, with much progress made over the past few months.  Once the new substation is complete and energized, which is expected mid-2016, demolition of the company’s existing substation will begin. The South Bay Substation Relocation Project will enable SDG&E to replace an older substation with a new larger facility, that is equipped with state of the art technology to meet the growing energy demand of the area.  Open public access to the Chula Vista bay front is another benefit of this project. 

 

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Construction of the Bay Boulevard substation will help meet regional energy needs filling some of the void left with the retirement of the South Bay Power Plant.   The project was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in October 2013 and by the California Coastal Commission in March 2014.

The project plans include constructing a new 230 kilovolt substation – The Bay Boulevard Substation – in an industrial area in Chula Vista.  The location is 0.5 mile south of the existing South Bay Substation on Bay Boulevard.   The new substation will meet current and future transmission and distribution needs for the South Bay area, including electric distribution needed to power Chula Vista’s Bayfront redevelopment.

The City of Chula Vista supports the project as the removal of the existing substation is a critical component that will help maximize the opportunity for the Chula Vista Bay Front Master Plan.  The Environmental Health Coalition also supports the project for its benefits to land-use and habitat protection.

Major Project Components

Project plans include the relocation and reconfiguration of existing 230/138/69 kilovolt (kV) lines along the existing transmission corridor to either loop-in to or bypass the new substation and will replace the 50-year-old, obsolete infrastructure.  Additionally, it includes undergrounding approximately 3,800 feet of 138kV lines and approximately 1,000 feet of 230kV lines and removal of five lattice transmission towers along the Chula Vista Bayfront and it will improve bay views. 

Environmental benefits associated with this project include the restoration of approximately 10 acres within San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuse that will create and enhance habitat for endangered wildlife.  The project mitigation will create a $2,000,000 endowment for the Living Coast Discovery Center (formerly Chula Vista Nature Center) to ensure that the center’s environmental education programs will continue for the benefit of San Diego County resident and visitors.

More Information

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