The Western Area Power Administration energized two new transmission line segments of the Sacramento Area Voltage Support Project this month, marking the end of construction and readying the line for summer season operations in Sacramento, California.

The 230-kV line from O’Banion Substation in Sutter County to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Elverta Substation in Sacramento County came online at about 11 a.m. followed by the 230-kV line from O’Banion Substation to SMUD’s Natomas Substation in Sacramento County at about 2 p.m.

Western worked cooperatively with its customers to identify, plan and fund the needed transmission system additions and upgrades to ensure the stability, reliability and security of the greater Sacramento-area transmission system’s voltage capabilities.

The project was constructed to improve the ability to transfer power within the region. Without additional infrastructure, the area’s local utilities would face increased risk of uncontrolled system-wide outages.

“The system additions and upgrades associated with the construction of this project allows Western to continue meeting its contractual and system reliability obligations by providing additional power-importing capabilities to the greater Sacramento area,” said Pete Garris, power operations manager in Western’s Sierra Nevada regional office.

Construction planning began in April 2008 after Western issued its Record of Decision to the 2007 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The project included building a new 31-mile, double-circuit, 230-kV transmission line between Western’s O’Banion Substation and the area just south of SMUD’s Elverta Substation. Western also reconstructed about five miles of SMUD’s existing 230-kV/115-kV transmission line between its Elverta and Natomas substations. Construction began in 2010.

The project’s total construction cost was originally estimated at about $74 million, and it is expected to be completed within that target, pending finalization of the claims resolution process.

After the new lines are placed into service, Western will complete final work during the next several months, such as land restoration activities, environmental monitoring and installation of bird flight diverters on the lines.

The need for the project was identified in 2000, and Western issued a ROD in January 2004 following the completion of environmental studies in 2003. However, since there was no available funding for the project, construction was delayed. Western’s customers provided advanced funds for construction.