Rocky Mountain Power to add second 3‑phase feed in Castle Valley; council approves with process concerns

Castle Valley — Rocky Mountain Power asked the Castle Valley town council on Aug. 20 to approve a nonroutine electrical installation that would bring a second 3‑phase feed into the valley and reconfigure lines to reduce the number of customers affected by local outages.

Dan, a Rocky Mountain Power representative, told the council the project would convert single‑phase segments to 3‑phase, add new poles in select locations, remove several existing poles at the east end of Shafer Lane and install a splice box and an underground dip where customers requested it. Dan said the primary purpose is reliability: with two 3‑phase lines the utility can isolate a fault and restore power to most customers more quickly.

The planning and land use commission recommended approval. Rocky Mountain Power asked the council to approve the utility’s application for the overhead route with the option for property owners at the Shafer Lane end to pay to move overhead service underground. Dan said the full underground option for the Shafer Lane section — the customers’ preferred long‑term outcome — was estimated to cost more than $1.6 million and that those costs would be borne by the requesting customers if they opt for underground installation.

Council debate and concerns: Councilors and residents raised three main issues: process/notice, statutory/ordinance compliance, and site specifics. Council members said the company did not provide the six‑month town notice called for in an existing town ordinance addressing relocation or undergrounding of primary electric supply, and one councilor said the town’s ordinance anticipates negotiating an equitable cost‑sharing basis if the town requests undergrounding. Dan acknowledged the notice lapse and said he had retrained his team to ensure the town receives proper notice in future projects.

Several residents and council members also asked about pole locations, easements and the potential visual and maintenance impacts of overhead versus underground lines. Dan described the proposed placements (including a new pole between lots 205 and 206, a dip to underground and a new pad‑mounted splice box) and said some customers have verbally agreed to pursue accommodated undergrounding; Rocky Mountain Power was preparing cost proposals and contracts for those customers.

Outcome: The council approved the planning commission recommendation to allow Rocky Mountain Power to proceed with the nonroutine installation as presented (the overhead configuration with the accommodation for owner‑paid undergrounding). One council member stated they would vote against approval on principle because the project did not follow the ordinance’s notice provision; the council nonetheless approved the application and Dan said Rocky Mountain Power will follow up with customers and the town on contracts, easements and scheduling.

Other points: Dan said the project includes a remotely operated reclosure device at the Loop Road intersection that would allow some power restorations to be performed from dispatch without sending linemen into hazardous or burning conditions. A resident reported debris and cigarette butts left by contractors on private property; Dan asked the resident to identify the property so Rocky Mountain Power can address the contractor behavior.

Next steps: Rocky Mountain Power will provide cost estimates and contract documents to customers who requested underground service, seek any required BLM permits for sections on federal land, obtain signed easements where needed, and schedule construction. The town and the utility agreed to improve advance notice to the council for future line‑realignment work.