SRP to hold public meeting on new high-voltage lines for Tempe, Chandler

SRP is again seeking the public’s views on a proposed expansion of high-voltage electric lines, this time along the Price Road corridor in west Chandler and south Tempe.

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A series of meetings has been scheduled starting Tuesday, Jan. 29, to hear the views of area residents on the project, which SRP says is needed to keep pace with the growth in the area extending along the Price/101 freeway.

A proposal to install high-voltage lines and poles along Elliot Road in south Tempe several years ago was met with opposition from area residents, and ultimately was revised.

An SRP spokesman said plans for the 230-kilovolt expansion were launched in 2010 when it was determined that more electricity would eventually be required to accommodate existing and future growth.

Those plans were further prioritized about nine months ago.

According to an SRP background paper, economic development is occurring in areas of south Tempe and west Chandler as high-tech companies and industrial manufacturers expand operations and build new facilities.

As a result, SRP forecasts increased demand for energy in the area known as the Price Road Corridor.

SRP is providing a public process prior to selecting sites for new 230-kilovolt power lines and two new 230kV substations.

The new facilities will provide greater reliability and enhance the overall electric system for customers in south Tempe and Chandler, according to SRP.

Project description —The Price Corridor 230kV project consists of three components:

A new 230kV line from the Kyrene substation near Elliot Road and Kyrene Road in Tempe to the Knox substation that will bring additional power into the region;

A new single-circuit 230kV power line from the Schrader substation near Arizona Avenue and Ocotillo Road to a new 230kV substation (referred to as RS-28) in the southern portion of the PRC; and

A new double-circuit 230kV power line from the Knox substation near Pecos Road and 56th Street to a new 230kV substation (referred to as RS-27) and on to RS-28.

Siting study — SRP is required to obtain a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility from the Arizona Corporation Commission for these new 230kV transmission facilities.

SRP and its consultant, ENValue, will conduct a comprehensive siting study that will be part of the application for the CEC, which will be submitted to the ACC and presented to the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee.

The study will consider, among other factors, current and proposed land uses and environmental impacts. An important factor in the CEC application process is the input provided by the public, agencies and interested organizations.

Project timeline —SRP says it is launching its public involvement process to ensure that community members have opportunities to participate in the siting process. The first round of open houses is scheduled for Jan. 29 and 30.

Additional open houses will be held throughout the process until the application is submitted later this year. The in-service date for the first phase of the project would be May 1, 2016.

How you can get involved —Three open houses are planned to provide an opportunity for the public to review informational displays and discuss the project with SRP team members.

The same information will be presented at each location, and visitors can arrive at any time during the open house.

Tuesday, Jan. 29, 4-7 p.m. — Tempe History Museum, 809 E. Southern Ave., Tempe;

Wednesday, Jan. 30, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. — Holiday Inn, 1200 W. Ocotillo Road, Chandler.

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