04
March
2022
|
08:51 AM
America/Denver

SRP Announces Proposed Mesa-Based Half-mile Transmission Line and Substation to Serve Meta Data Center

SRP today announced a proposed half-mile 230 kV transmission line and substation to serve energy to a data center being built for Meta (formerly Facebook), located in Mesa, and slated to be fully operational by 2024.

Meta’s data center is under development at the southeast corner of Elliot and Ellsworth Roads. SRP’s proposed “Project Huckleberry” outlines a new double-circuit 230 kV power line to be constructed from the already approved Southeast Powerlink along an existing flood control channel to the new proposed “Prickly Pear Substation” located on the Mesa data center site. As the primary beneficiary of Project Huckleberry, Meta is funding the cost of SRP’s electrical infrastructure required to serve their facility. 

“SRP supports long-term economic development in the communities we serve by providing reliable power to our customers which include large commercial employers moving to the Valley,” said SRP’s CEO and General Manager Mike Hummel. “This project is critical to Meta, the City of Mesa and all of Arizona.”

The Data Center continues the Phoenix area’s growth in the technology sector and is expected to create approximately 100 high-wage jobs upon its completion and around 1,500 jobs during its construction. To meet the initial need for Meta’s load by December 2022, SRP will serve the Mesa data center from the 69 kV system and build the new Prickly Pear 69 kV switchyard.

SRP is sharing project information with nearby customers, property owners and stakeholders located in the established notification area. SRP will host live online open houses about the project on March 22 and 23, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. Additional open houses may take place, subject to CDC COVID-19 guidelines. These will happen prior to SRP filing a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).

The CEC process includes public hearings with the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee before seeking final approval from the ACC. Hearings before the Line Siting Committee will occur in late June. 

More information on Project Huckleberry, including a map of the proposed line and substation, can be found on the project website. There will also be links to join the online open houses as they become available. Visit https://srp.net/mesahuckleberry. Community members can also call with any questions about the project using the project hotline, (855) 584-1484.

 

About SRP

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 is also the metropolitan area’s largest supplier of water, delivering about 750,000 acre-feet annually to municipal, urban and agricultural water users.