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Horizon West says SunCrest SVC site is hardened, monitored and isolated from retail customers
Summary
Horizon West told regulators that its SunCrest Static VAR Compensator site in San Diego County is transmission‑only, hardscaped with perimeter walls and cameras, equipped with transformer oil‑and‑gas monitoring and supported by contracted fire‑brigade resources; it reported no utility‑caused ignitions in site history.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY — Horizon West Transmission described operational and facility measures at its SunCrest Static VAR Compensator (SVC) site during a statewide wildfire mitigation workshop, stressing that the facility is transmission‑only, has no retail customers and has had no utility‑caused ignitions. "The facility has no distribution, no retail loads, no generation, and no retail customers," said Lenille Gardner, senior regulatory affairs manager for Horizon West.
Horizon West described site features intended to reduce wildfire risk: a concrete perimeter wall, hardscape fuel‑modification zones around the substation, a 10,000‑gallon water tank, perimeter cameras and real‑time transformer oil‑and‑gas monitoring. The company said it undergrounded about a mile of transmission line after operations began and installed seismic pads for transformers and flame‑suppressing stone in containment pits. The site also maintains a contracted industrial fire brigade that provides a dedicated engine and a class‑B foam trailer.
Operations staff said monthly site inspections include vegetation checks, and that weed abatement in perimeter zones occurs one to four times per year depending on conditions. The operator noted the site is monitored 24/7, with camera access available to engineers on mobile devices. Horizon West said its red‑flag day protocols pause hot work and nonessential maintenance during elevated fire risk and that any PSPS coordination would be driven by the interconnecting utility (SDG&E) and the ISO.
Why it matters: The SunCrest facility is a transmission asset located inside a Tier 3 high fire threat district; the company said it has implemented design, operational and response measures that it says minimize ignition risk and improve response time.
What’s next: Horizon West said it will improve wildfire‑spread modeling and finish integration with wildfire analyst software (Technosilva) in Q3 2025, and will continue to coordinate emergency protocols with SDG&E and local fire authorities.
