Imagine the size of electrical equipment needed to operate Jurassic Park, and that's likely comparable to what was recently delivered to the Kelker Substation site -- located near S. Academy Boulevard and Hancock Expressway.
This past summer, and after a long journey from Texas and Wisconsin, large transformers and other structures were lifted into position at the substation. The deliveries mark a significant step in a more than $80 million investment from now until 2027 to upgrade and expand the site and prepare our electric grid for a new energy future.
A resilient and reliable electric grid provides an essential foundation for us to successfully transition to a new energy future that includes reduced carbon emissions, new technologies and a more diverse generation mix. Investments in our electric grid are a primary driver for energy rates in 2024 and beyond.
The importance of the electric grid is why our Sustainable Energy Plan (SEP) includes several major electric substation and transmission line projects, many of which are underway or complete. In fact, we completed our first significant SEP substation and transmission upgrade project earlier this year at Briargate Substation, located near Powers Boulevard and Woodmen Road.
Much like the Briargate Substation, the Kelker Substation is aging and in need of upgrades and increased space to meet future energy demands, provide room for new technologies, and to increase electric grid reliability.
Kelker is also one of our more important substations with the closure of the downtown Martin Drake Power Plant. The expanded substation and a planned transmission line will soon play critical roles in delivering electricity to both southeastern Colorado Springs and the downtown portion of the electric grid.
Thanks to the foresight of former leaders, we already owned adjacent property to the existing Kelker Substation site. This enabled crews to immediately begin construction of a new, expanded wall to enhance aesthetics and ensure customer safety.
Now, work inside the wall is progressing. The Aug. 27 deliveries included large transformers that will help enhance the substation’s reliability and capacity.
The estimated completion date for the Kelker Substation expansion and upgrade is August 2027.
Substations represent the central nervous system for our electric grid. Power cannot be reliably and safely delivered to homes and businesses without substations.
As we shift the way we generate electricity, the size, adaptability and location of substations continue to grow in importance.
In the coming months and years, several other SEP-related substation and transmission projects are in the works. Projects include a new substation by the Colorado Springs Airport and in central Colorado Springs, expanded substations, and the new transmission line from the Kelker Substation to the South Plant Substation located at the former Drake Power Plant site.
