SMUD's new substation energizes Sacramento's growing downtown core with clean, reliable power
Station G’s advancements critical to regional clean energy transformation
On Thursday, SMUD and local leaders will unveil our cutting-edge downtown Sacramento substation, Station G, a critical part of SMUD’s network that powers the city's expanding core and thousands of downtown customers with clean, low-cost and reliable energy.
Aligned with SMUD’s regional decarbonization goals, Station G uses advanced technologies to support the city’s clean energy transformation for decades to come while improving grid resilience and ensuring a dependable power supply for the ever-evolving energy needs of the Sacramento area.
| What: | Ribbon Cutting of Station G |
| When: | Thursday, August 24, from 10 AM to 11 AM |
| Where: | Sixth and G Streets in downtown Sacramento |
| Who: | SMUD CEO and General Manager Paul Lau, SMUD Board of Directors, SMUD executive team members, County Supervisor Phil Serna, City of Sacramento representatives |
"Through our innovative and visionary approach, SMUD is introducing a state-of-the-art facility to the region’s power infrastructure, boosting our grid's world-class reliability, resilience, capacity for electric load and advancing regional decarbonization,” said SMUD CEO and General Manager Paul Lau. “As we embrace a future powered by carbon-free sources and the adoption of electric technology in our daily lives, SMUD’s advanced and resilient infrastructure is crucial in helping clean the air and drive sustainable progress toward a clean energy future that benefits the entire region.”
Located at the intersection of Seventh and G Streets in downtown Sacramento, Station G stands as a testament to innovative design and artistic vision. The architecture was designed with aesthetics in mind. Station G is accentuated by striking lighting elements that harmonize with the surrounding downtown neighborhood, art scene and landmarks. This approach adds to the aesthetics of the nearby Railyards and surrounding development while providing safe and reliable power and infrastructure modernization, which includes advanced equipment and expansive underground networking.
Station G is equipped with 141 ColorGraze MX4 Powercore LED Philips lights, renowned for their energy efficiency, performance and capability to capture the unique architectural character of the building. During the thrilling first-round playoff series between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors, Station G was illuminated in vibrant purple, in concert with the Golden 1 Center's iconic purple beam, to celebrate the team's success and the city's collective pride.
Substations effectively step down voltage to safely power area’s restaurants, businesses, offices, nightlife and iconic landmarks that define the city's vibrant downtown core.
Construction on Station G began in August of 2020 and was completed ahead of its projected summer of 2023 completion date.
About SMUD
As the nation’s sixth-largest, community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost reliable electricity to Sacramento County for more than 75 years. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. Today, SMUD’s power supply is on average about 50 percent carbon free and SMUD has a goal to reach zero carbon in its electricity production by 2030.