2nd Quarter 2019 Infrastructure Project Updates

The spring of 2019 is a busy time for the PUD, with multiple projects to improve reliability and service underway, wrapping up, or beginning in all corners of East Jefferson County.

SOUTH DISCOVERY RD
As of late March, the PUD’s work converting four spans of overhead service to underground along South Discovery was wrapping up. The PUD put the service underground as part of a Jefferson County Public Works road widening project.
IRONDALE SUBSTATION
Just north of the PUD’s Customer Service and Operations Center off 4 Corners Rd. sits the PUD’s now largest substation. The five year, $3.5M project is almost complete. The Irondale substation was doubled in size from 20 to 40MW capacity to serve as a back up for other substations around the county in the event of large scale outages. Though construction concluded in March, testing and troubleshooting will continue into the summer.
PORT LUDLOW SUBSTATION
The PUD is preparing now for summer work on the Port Ludlow substation. The substation’s aging and undersized voltage regulators will be replaced with new and larger models that will better manage high demand in the winter months. The building housing the control panels will be replaced and switches and insulators will receive maintenance.
SWANSONVILLE RD
In February, the PUD Board of Commissioners rescinded a previous emergency declaration for replacing the ailing and aging electrical cable buried directly in the dirt along Swansonville Rd. This cable shuttles much of Port Ludlow’s power from its substation to its largest concentration of homes and businesses. Work to replace the cable is underway, but according to Acting General Manager Kevin Streett, the most problematic sections of the cable have now been removed and replaced with new wire run through conduit. Streett explained that the emergency declaration was no longer needed to complete the work, and that normal bidding procedures would be employed for replacement of the additional length of cable.
CHIMACUM CREEK ESTATES
Work continues to replace the aged and failing electric cable in Chimacum Creek Estates. Conduit has been installed underground and vaults for new transformers have been set. The project is on track to be completed in June, with road and driveway patches expected in April and wire pulling and transformer setting to follow.
KILISUT HARBOR
The PUD is preparing for the upcoming proposed replacement of the section of Highway 116 (Flagler Rd) between Indian and Marrowstone Islands. The PUD will temporarily move its power, water and fiber service lines during the construction, which is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2019.
UNDERGROUNDING POWER IN DOWNTOWN PT
The initial work of undergrounding electrical service along Water Street between the Ferry Terminal and Taylor Street is on schedule to be completed by May as planned. The PUD has also been prepping to put electric service underground along portions of Jefferson, Adams, and Quincy streets conduit was buried underground in conjunction with the new sidewalks that were installed this winter. However, all downtown work will be placed on hold until the fall of 2019 as the PUD does not want to impact downtown businesses during the busy summer months. Power poles and the remaining overhead wires will begin to be removed starting in late fall.
PUD FACILITY UPGRADE
Plans and drawings are being finalized for the PUD’s remodel and expansion of its 40 year old Customer Service and Operations Center. The project is anticipated to go to bid in May with construction starting in late summer or fall. Modular buildings have been ordered to house staff during construction, which is anticipated to take up to one year to complete.