SMUD El Rio/WAPA Elverta Substation Project (DOE/EA-2259)

WAPA has decided to cancel preparation of the Draft EA. Upon further siting and design review, WAPA determined that their Federal action for this project is covered under an existing programmatic EA for this facility, and it would be redundant to prepare an additional EA. No significant impacts were identified for WAPA’s activities. Scoping comments were reviewed for additional concerns from nearby landowners, and these were addressed by SMUD’s public affairs. No additional NEPA documentation will be required at this time.

About the project

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) is proposing to make upgrades to WAPA’s Elverta Substation to support the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) request for construction of a new El Rio Substation adjacent to and as an expansion of their existing Elverta substation. WAPA’s purpose and need for this project is to support SMUD’s request by ensuring ongoing power, operation, and compatibility between the WAPA and SMUD substations, and securing a new easement for re-routing transmission lines to serve the SMUD El Rio Substation.

WAPA’s Proposed Action consists of design review and engineering support for the new SMUD El Rio Substation, securing an easement for rerouting a WAPA transmission line, and additional construction activities at WAPA’s substation for compatibility. Additionally, these components include:

  • Updates to electrical equipment in WAPA’s control room and station service transformers, and installation of new communication fiber to be compatible with SMUD’s new substation equipment. This includes re-programming the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) for the new substation.
  • Trenching approximately 135 feet (12 inches deep) for installation of new electrical cable between WAPA and SMUD’s yards. SMUD will perform the construction.
  • Installation of a new pole to bring offsite power to the WAPA control building. SMUD will perform the construction.
  • Rerouting WAPA’s 230-kV O’Banion-Elverta SMUD (OBN-ESE) transmission line and relocating two poles for reconnection to the SMUD El Rio Substation. SMUD will construct the foundation and steel support and WAPA will install the monopoles.

Postcards and flyers were sent to landowner and other stakeholder on June 6, 2024 announcing WAPA’s intent to prepare an EA and requesting comments during the 30-day comment period on the scope of the environmental analysis. Scoping comments will be accepted through July 8, 2024. A copy of the scoping announcement is included in the PROJECT DOCUMENTS section below.

Contact information

​​​Email: ekelly@wapa.gov

Beth Kelly, Natural Resources Specialist
Western Area Power Administration
114 Parkshore Drive
Folsom, California 95630

Project documents

Scoping​

 

Last modified on August 26th, 2024