Transformer at Valencia Substation is replaced

The area served by the Valencia Substation has seen explosive growth. Engineering Manager Gary Kelly said that growth, both in the residential and commercial sector, meant that Trico needed a transformer with more capacity that will provide reliable service for the load for years to come.

“This is our most heavily-loaded substation in our system and is probably the fastest‑growing area or one of the top two fastest-growing areas; our load is growing with lots of new residential growth and we also serve one of our largest Members out of this substation, which is the Casino del Sol,” Kelly said.

On November 16, 2020, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) replaced the 20 Mega Volt Amperes (MVA) transformer at the Valencia Substation with a 50 MVA transformer. The old 20 MVA transformer will be moved to the Three Points Substation, where there will now be two transformers.

The Valencia Substation is jointly owned and operated by AEPCO and Trico. AEPCO’s transmission/substation engineering department performed design work and supervised the construction to replace the transformer and coordinated the move of the older unit as well as installation at the Three Points Substation.

Everyone involved in the changeout said the partnership between AEPCO and Trico has helped make the transition seamless.

“We work very closely with AEPCO, our guys, our crews, both the engineering and the field crews work together; this is a jointly‑engineered substation,” Kelly said. “We’re working on it together.”

Southwest Industrial Rigging provided the heavy-lift crane and the crew to move the transformers.

Geoff Oldfather of AEPCO contributed to this story.