Media Contact: David Song, (626) 302-2255
ROSEMEAD, Calif., Aug. 5, 2014 — To ensure continued reliable electric service, Southern California Edison (SCE) will invest more than $5.7 million to build a new distribution circuit that serves parts of Palm Springs. The work began this week and will continue, in phases, through early 2015. The project takes place along a stretch of Indian Canyon Drive between Vista Chino and Ramon Road.
The first phase is mostly civil engineering work, which involves trenching on the road, and will last through November. The second phase will start shortly after the new year and will last a couple of months.
SCE will install 14 new underground vaults, three miles of underground cable and replace other underground equipment in existing parts of the system. During the second phase of the work, some customers may experience maintenance outages. SCE will communicate with affected customers well in advance so they can make appropriate arrangements.
Nena McCullough, Public Affairs region manager for Palm Springs, said there will be lane closures along different sections of Indian Canyon due to the civil engineering work, but that they will be staggered to keep any section of businesses and residential customers from being impacted for too long.
“We understand that there will be some inconveniences as we close lanes to start work on trenching and the building of a new underground circuit,” she said. “We will do everything in our power to minimize impacts to businesses and drivers, and provide regular updates to the community through the different aspects of the project.”
After the civil engineering work ends in November, the trenches will be covered until the new year so traffic will not be impacted.
“Build-out of a new distribution circuit will help minimize the likelihood of unanticipated and extended outages in the Palm Springs community,” said McCullough. “The new system will alleviate the congestion on existing circuits, which will improve reliability”
In the next few years, SCE plans to invest billions of dollars to strengthen its territory-wide distribution grid, which serves nearly 14 million people. The work in Palm Springs is only one of many infrastructure-improvement projects that will take place.
SCE will provide the latest information about outages at its website and on Twitter.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
