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Path 15 Transmission Line |
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PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) c/o Maslonka & Associates
Southern to Northern California
Project Description:Path 15 is a power transmission corridor located in the southern portion of Pacific Gas & Electric Company's (PG&E) service area, along the west side of the Central Valley in California. In early 2001 the existing Path 15 constraints limited the amount of power that could be shipped from Southern California and the Southwest to Northern California. Since the capacity through the existing 500 kV transmission line was insufficient to carry the necessary electricity load, this resulted in rotating power outages in northern California when power usage spiked above capacity.
At the direction of Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham, the Western Area Power Administration formed a partnership with Trans-Electric to build a new 500 kV transmission line next to the existing Path 15 right of way. In addition to enhancing reliability of power delivery, the Path 15 upgrade will create a more robust electricity market and permit greater power transfers between southern and northern California. It is anticipated that this project could become the model for relieving other transmission constraints throughout the country.
Client Issues
- Needed rapid turn-around of design data during the investigation.
- 135 borings in mountainous terrain needed to be completed in 90 days.
- Needed coordinated access with the contractor to provide water.
- Construction of transmission tower foundation and roads would be occurring as the investigation was being performed, increasing the demand for design data.
- Potential $50,000 per day liability for each day of delay to the construction schedule.
Kleinfelder's Role
Kleinfelder is the Geotechnical Engineer-of-Record for this 84-mile long, 500 kV transmission line between PG&E’s Los Banos and Gates substations. During the transmission line investigation we also provided geotechnical investigations and recommendations for the two PG&E substations. Kleinfelder’s team completed our investigation of this project over a record three-month period. The project involved design recommendations for transmission towers in mountainous terrain. Four drilling companies and personnel from three Kleinfelder offices performed the work.
Our team of engineers and geologists assigned to this project are specifically trained and technically experienced in power delivery projects throughout the West Coast and Central United States.
Deep foundation design recommendations were provided for piers ranging from 3 feet up to 12 foot in diameter. These foundations were frequently located either in very weak rock with the properties of a dense soil or in alluvial soils found to be loose to a depth greater than 30 feet.
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