Intelligent Undergrounding

LADWP Completes Construction of the Largest Underground Transmission Line in Los Angeles

Sept. 27, 2018

As part of its effort to replacing aging power infrastructure, LADWP built a new underground transmission line.

As part of its effort to replacing aging power infrastructure, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) constructed the largest underground transmission line in its power system. The Scattergood-Olympic Cable A Transmission Project consists of a 11.4-mile underground line, which is more than 6 in. in diameter and weighs 35 lbs per foot.

The $130 million transmission line starts in West Los Angeles and is routed to the north to past Westchester to the south. The line serves communities along that corridor along with customers in the Pacific Palisades. In addition, the line connects to the larger high-transmission grid throughout the city. As such, it provides reliable electric service to millions of Angelenos.

“The Scattergood-Olympic Transmission Line increases our ability to provide safe and reliable power 24/7/365,” said Reiko Kerr, LADWP senior assistant general manager of the power system. “This project and other transmission line upgrades are critical parts of transforming LA’s power supply and rebuilding our aging power grid infrastructure so that we can effectively deliver increasing amounts of renewable power to our valued customers.”

The new transmission line is an addition to the original line, which began commercial service in 1974 and had been experiencing reliability issues. The original line will be used a backup, should it be needed. With the completion of Scattergood-Olympic Cable A, power system reliability for western Los Angeles has been enhanced with improved system flexibility.

The new line also allows for more efficient utilization of power generation resources, including LADWP’s Scattergood Generation Station. The project started in 2008 and the line stretches from Scattergood Generating Station near LAX to the Olympic Receiving Station in West LA.

The Scattergood-Olympic Cable A line operates at 230 kV and can transfer 656 mVA. The cable is connected through underground vaults that are located less than half a mile apart, which reduced the cost of installation and will improve reliability.

Completing the project required close coordination with multiple agencies, including Caltrans, the Federal Aviation Administration, Coastal Commission, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, Los Angeles Council District 11, five neighborhood councils and the City of Culver City.

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the Field Editor for T&D World magazine and manages the Electric Utility Operations section. She is the host of the Line Life Podcast, which celebrates the grit, courage and inspirational teamwork of the line trade. She also works on the annual Lineworker Supplement and the Vegetation Management Supplement as well as the Lineman Life and Lineman's Rodeo News enewsletters. Amy also covers events such as the Trees & Utilities conference and the International Lineman's Rodeo. She is the past president of the ASBPE Educational Foundation and ASBPE and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. She can be reached at [email protected].