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BPU hears electrification plan implementation and 10-year CIP; board presses on Eastgate substation and undergrounding policy
Summary
DPU staff briefed the Board of Public Utilities on distribution-electrification implementation, asset-replacement needs and a 10-year CIP that includes Eastgate substation design and extensive underground cable replacement. Board members requested deeper analysis on capacity assumptions and whether to pursue a formal policy on undergrounding.
The Los Alamos County Board of Public Utilities received a detailed briefing Feb. 4 on implementing the distribution-system electrification plan and the Department's 10-year capital improvement priorities, including underground distribution replacements and design funding for the proposed Eastgate substation.
Dennis (speaker 3) summarized findings from the Burns & McDonnell electrification study and outlined implementation actions: prioritizing aging asset replacement, improving the MillSoft power-flow model tied to GIS, adopting volt-VAR control for new photovoltaic customers under a revised Rule E5, and coordinating overhead make-ready work with broadband installation to gain efficiencies. Dennis said the system has a large amount of old conductor and undersized secondaries and that many services and transformers will require upgrades to meet future electrification demand.
On capacity, Dennis told the board the electrification plan envisions about 60 megawatts of capacity for the town site and said current summer and winter peak loads are "somewhere between 17 and 18 megawatts." He said Eastgate substation design is budgeted in next year's planning and construction is currently forecast for later years, contingent on obtaining a transmission line routing over the canyon.
Board members debated whether the utility should pursue more undergrounding. Member Robert (speaker 5) urged a formal policy discussion to weigh long-term benefits against upfront costs and equity issues (who pays for homeowners'service conversions). Dennis said burying primary lines is typically at least five times as costly as overhead work and noted basalt and other local conditions can greatly increase difficulty and cost; he also flagged that owner-paid secondary conversions could create equity issues if the utility is forced to underwrite homeowner costs.
The asset-management capital plan (James, speaker 8) presented specific near-term projects and budgets: Abiquiu wicket-gate hydraulic servo motor replacements ($200,000); White Rock underground distribution replacement (proposed $1,500,000); overhead replacements and make-ready work ($450,000); and a $500,000 budget request to procure design services for the Eastgate substation. James also outlined water and wastewater projects across FY27–28 (including Parito transmission and a planned $1.7M phase for Parito transmission, and proposed grant/loan funding strategies). Staff said they will pursue federal and Water Trust Board funding for several water projects.
Board members asked follow-up questions on DP Road staging area plans (space for shared county and contractor laydown), whether DOE should share costs for a replacement well tied to DOE activity, and the timing and priority of hydro unit maintenance. Staff agreed to bring a deeper review of hydro plant options and costs back to the board and to add undergrounding policy to the tickler for a future session.
Next steps include further analysis of undergrounding costs and policy trade-offs, refined capacity planning tied to the ECA/transmission status, and staff follow-up on grant and funding opportunities for the CIP items presented.
