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Puget Sound Energy substation project

Cascade substation project

Spring 2013 project updates

• Construction on the first phase of the Cascade substation upgrade was completed on schedule in December 2012.
• The second phase of construction begain in early April 2013, and will entail installing new equipment, energizing the substation and removing all the old equipment.
• Construction is expected to be completed in 2013.

Project overview

Puget Sound Energy plans to upgrade the electric system to better serve customers in Cle Elum, Easton, Ellensburg, Kittitas, Ronald, Roslyn, Snoqualmie Pass, south Cle Elum and Thorp. PSE is expanding the capacity of the Cascade substation, located at 1980 SR 903 in Cle Elum, by installing a new 230-34 kilovolt transformer to serve existing load in the area. Currently, the substation is at its operating capacity. Additionally, we will be adding substation equipment (circuit breakers) that can provide back-up to existing power lines and reduce the number of customers affected by planned and unplanned outages. The footprint of the substation will significantly increase in size within PSE’s existing property (see before and after map).

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Project map

Construction progress of the
Cascade Substation from an
aerial view

What is a substation?

Substations are critical links in the electricity distribution system, containing utility circuit protection, voltage regulation, and equipment that steps down higher voltage to lower voltage. Before reaching homes and businesses, power is routed through our transmission system to a substation where it is changed to a lower voltage that can be utilized by customers.