Pacific Power outlines new Redmond substation and long-range “Project Blueprint” transmission plan

Pacific Power’s regional business manager, Alisa Dunlap, told the Redmond City Council the utility has closed on land for a new distribution substation in north Redmond and expects the facility to be in service by 2028. She said the company also plans an additional feeder to the U Avenue substation that should add capacity by mid‑2026.

Dunlap placed those Redmond updates in the context of a broader initiative the company calls "Project Blueprint," a proposed 500‑kilovolt Pacific Power transmission line from the Klamath Falls area into Central Oregon. She said five route corridors are currently out for public comment; the corridors shown on the company’s map are roughly five miles wide, while the eventual permanent right‑of‑way would be about 250 feet.

Dunlap described the substation search as ongoing: Pacific Power is talking with about six property owners for roughly 100 acres sited between Redmond and Prineville (moved slightly east for land availability). She said acquiring the substation parcel will make it easier to refine a final transmission route. Project Blueprint’s target in‑service date is in the early 2030s, which Dunlap called an aggressive but necessary timeline given regional demand.

Councilors raised local concerns. Mayor Fitch asked whether the acquired North Redmond parcel was near the planned new police station and whether the substation footprint would conflict with new residential development; Dunlap replied the acquired site is a distribution‑level substation with a much smaller footprint than a large transmission substation and noted design and fencing options can reduce community impacts.

A member of the public asked about impacts to agricultural land; Dunlap said, from her understanding, farm uses are largely permitted beneath transmission corridors but permanent structures are restricted and she offered to return with technical clarifications.

The council did not take a formal vote on Pacific Power plans. Dunlap said many substations across the region (between Madras and Bend) are slated for upgrades and that if growth continues additional substations beyond the two new ones already planned (one in Redmond, one in Bend) will be needed. She encouraged public engagement in the Project Blueprint comment period and offered follow‑up information about siting and technical limits.

Next steps: Pacific Power will continue route refinement as land acquisitions and permitting proceed and has offered to return with further technical answers at the council’s request.