Pocket/Greenhaven underground cable reliability
Upcoming work to improve electric service reliability in the Pocket/Greenhaven area
We are upgrading underground electric equipment to provide more reliable service to customers in the Pocket/Greenhaven neighborhood. This work will reduce the number and duration of power outages in your community.
Over the next several months and through the first quarter of 2021, you may notice SMUD or our contractors performing a series of maintenance and reliability enhancements. There are 13 reliability enhancements, the largest – the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kV Underground Cable Reliability Project – will occur near I-5 on Florin Road to Havenside Drive and up to Gloria Drive.
The project involves the replacement of approximately 2 miles of existing underground 69kV cable and the construction of up to 15 new manholes along the route to allow for improved access and maintenance of the power line.
We are partnering with the City of Sacramento to coordinate timing of City street resurfacing projects in your neighborhood. The City projects will take place after our cable replacement work on Florin Road is complete. This prevents overlapping efforts and reduces construction impacts.
Substation landscaping improvements — beginning May 2020
As part of the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kv Project we will be performing a series of maintenance and landscaping improvements at two of our substations in the area:
- Havenside-Canal substation at 7401 Gloria Drive
- Gloria-Florin substation located at 6801 Gloria Drive
We are upgrading the landscaping at these sites to improve the appearance while also accommodating the installation of new underground cable, addressing safety, increasing security and meeting our sustainability efforts. This work will include the removal of trees around both substations. Many of these trees are located too close to the substations creating a potential safety and security hazard to our infrastructure. Removal of the trees will also allow the installation of new underground conduit for our cable reliability project.
The new landscape design will include additional plants, groundcover and decorative rock/bark. As with all our facilities, we’re focusing on sustainable practices that include using drought tolerant and native plants.
Tree removal work began in mid-May. The entire substation landscaping project will be completed in early 2022.
The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) analyzes the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In compliance with the CEQA Guidelines, we’ve prepared this Notice of Intent (NOI) to provide responsible agencies and other interested parties with notice of the availability of the IS/MND. Feedback has been received and incorporated in the final IS/MND.
Electric cable reliability work in your neighborhood is underway and will be complete by the first quarter of 2021.
Project map
What is involved in the Pocket 69kV Underground Cable Reliability Project?
This project will replace approximately 2 miles of existing underground 69kV cable within existing right-of-way and constructing up to 15 new manholes in the Pocket/Greenhaven neighborhood. Construction began in late 2019 and is expected to be complete in late 2021.
We prepared a draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kV Underground Cable Replacement Project, which analyzes the potential physical environmental effects associated with project implementation. We will also complete 12 other reliability enhancements in the neighborhood. A 30-day public review period for the Draft IS/MND will begin on August 7, 2019 and extend through September 6, 2019. Written comments on the Draft IS/MND can be sent to the following address:
Rob Ferrera
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Environmental Management
P.O. Box 15830 MS H201
Sacramento, CA 95852-1830
Email to: Rob.Ferrera@smud.org
Why are some residents receiving a Notice of Intent for the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kV Underground Cable Reliability Project?
Neighbors who live within 1,000 feet of the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kV Underground Cable Reliability Project are receiving a letter from SMUD explaining the environmental process and where to find more information.
What construction impacts can you anticipate?
When the work starts, you may see crews and trucks digging trenches along the streets to install replacement conduits and cables. To ensure the safety of customers and crews, a temporary service interruption may be necessary. We'll send customers a separate notice in advance with details if an outage is necessary.
We also anticipate traffic, noise and other impacts when the work is underway. If activities will significantly impact an area, we will communicate in advance directly with affected customers.
If you have a critical need for electricity for medical or other reasons, please have a back-up plan for an outage in your neighborhood to ensure the continuity of any medical needs.
How will we keep you updated?
We are committed to keeping the community informed while this work is being performed. We’re happy to meet with any person or group to discuss the project. In addition, we will update our website regularly with schedule information, construction impacts and progress updates.
If you have questions, please contact Daniel Honeyfield by email or at 1-916-732-6484. For environmental process questions, contact Rob Ferrera by email or at 1-916-732-6676.
When was the public meeting for the Pocket/Greenhaven 69kV Project?
The meeting was held Tuesday, August 20 from 6-7 PM at the Elks Lodge in the Emblem Room at 6446 Riverside Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95831.