SRP Submits Application for Southeast Power Link Permit
New project addresses Southeast Valley's future energy needs
Salt River Project has filed an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) with the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee seeking to permit new power lines that will enable the utility to meet growing energy needs in the Southeast Valley.
The proposed Southeast Power Link project will help SRP provide needed electricity for anticipated residential, commercial, and industrial customer growth in the general area east of the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.
Several technology companies have expressed interest in locating operations in the area that includes the Elliot Road Technology Corridor and other areas generally to the east of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. By starting now, SRP can coordinate transmission line siting activities with other infrastructure projects planned for the region, such as airport expansion and new SR24 freeway construction.
The proposed project includes seven miles of new overhead 230-kilovolt (kV) power lines. A half-mile of the proposed routes will be located in Queen Creek and the remainder in Mesa. The project also includes a 230/69-kV receiving station.
"This project will help prepare this growing region for its future as a leading employment and technology hub, and as a thriving residential community," said Grant Smedley, SRP project manager and director of power delivery engineering. "The CEC application is a critical milestone in providing the infrastructure needed to enable the expected growth in this region while continuing to provide reliable and cost-effective energy to our existing customers in the area."
Over the past several months, SRP conducted a public process comprised of extensive outreach activities. The process included meetings with municipalities, agencies, landowners and other stakeholders. In addition, SRP held a public open house on May 14 to solicit input on potential route options from local residents and businesses.
The Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee will review the application at public hearings beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6 at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 North Center Street, Mesa, AZ 85201. A public comment session will be held at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6. The hearings are scheduled to continue at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, 10 a.m. on Sept. 10; and will continue beginning at 9:30 a.m. from September 11 through September 14, as necessary. If a tour is taken, it will begin at 9 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
For project information and updates, visit srpnet.com/SPL or call the toll-free project line at (833) 310-6345.
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SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest provider of electricity in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving more than 1 million customers. SRP also is the metropolitan area’s largest supplier of water, delivering about 800,000 acre-feet annually to municipal, urban and agricultural water users.