Black & Veatch, Overland Park, KS, through its energy business B&V Energy, recently completed construction of one of the longest 230-kV underground transmission projects in the United States.

Black & Veatch was responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction of the 27.5-mile Pacific Gas and Electric Co.(PG&E) Jefferson-Martin project in the San Francisco Peninsula. It comprises 24 miles of underground and 3.5 miles of overhead transmission line construction. PG&E energized the Jefferson-Martin 230-kV line on April 29.

Constructing the transmission line underground in major roads and streets eliminated any visual impacts and avoided environmentally sensitive areas, such as a pristine watershed area that is a habitat for rare and endangered plants and animals. The overhead transmission line portion was built along an existing transmission corridor and is generally away from urban areas, which minimized visual impacts.

The transmission project provides 400 MW of electricity – enough energy to power about 300,000 typical homes. The line increases capacity and improves reliability for the growing areas of San Francisco and northern San Mateo County, and allowed PG&E to proceed with the closure of its Hunters Point Power Plant. 

Black & Veatch also completed the engineering, procurement and construction for the Potrero-to Hunters Point 115-kV transmission project in southeast San Francisco. The 2.5 mile underground transmission line went into operation on April 3.

“It’s a tremendous experience for our company to have been part of PG&E’s team in completing this very important project,” said Luis Cabreriza, project manager for Black & Veatch. “The project’s success can be attributed to the collaborative approach established by PG&E.”