LPEA BAYFIELD SUBSTATION LA PLATA COUNTY LOCATION & EXTENT REVIEW March 12, 2015

Existing LPEA Substation

 Located on less than 0.20 of an acre parcel near intersection of Bayfield Parkway & CR 509.  Has been in operation since the 1950s.  Is very tight quartered, creating potentially dangerous conditions in which LPEA personnel must operate.  Insufficient area in which to construct the new upgraded substation facility.

Project Need  This project was initially prompted by rapid growth in the area from 2004 until  Bayfield Substation transformer reached 85% of its extended full load rating in 2013, and is currently nearing its capacity limit.  The transformer needs to be replaced with an uprated transformer in the near future.  In addition, other, significant upgrades to the entire facility are necessary to allow LPEA to continue to provide reliable electric service in the area, both now and in the future.  The new substation will supply adequate spare capacity in the area and supply redundant feed to the Ignacio 121 Circuit and the Rock Creek 131 Circuit.

Existing & Proposed Substation Locations

Location of new Substation  LPEA initially explored a land exchange with neighboring property owner to rebuild close to existing site.  Have now reached agreement with Tri-State Generation & Transmission to build new facility on Tri-State’s Bayfield Substation property.  Site provides adequate space to construct much improved, up- to-date substation facility.  Will also include room to set up mobile substation within the fenced-in substation pad.  Will include new access off of Bayfield Parkway, with improved site distance over the existing facility. Access permit from Town of Bayfield has been acquired.

Location of new Substation

Environmental & Cultural Due Diligence  LPEA has completed the following tasks to ensure its compliance with various environmental & cultural considerations:  Performed wetland delineation; submitted to USACOE.  Performed drainage report & culvert sizing analysis.  Prepared a Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) and will obtain a discharge permit from the State of Colorado.  Performed cultural resource inventory survey - no cultural resources found; submitted report and recommendation for clearance to SHPO. A determination of no effect has been made.

Environmental & Cultural Due Diligence (cont.)  LPEA has completed the following tasks to ensure its compliance with various environmental & cultural considerations:  Have obtained approval from USACOE to proceed with the project under Nationwide Permit 12 for disturbance to 0.05 acre of wetlands.  Will be purchasing.05 acre credits of wetland habitat in the Animas River Wetlands LLC mitigation bank to offset wetlands disturbed for this project.  Potential for 13 federally listed species to occur in project area was assessed. Was determined that there is no potential habitat for any of these species in project area; hence no impacts to these species were identified.

Proposed Bayfield Substation  Will be constructed on an approximate.36 of an acre gravel pad.  Will be enclosed within a 6’ high chain line fence, with barbed wire on the top.  Existing grade will be lowered, primarily on the east side, to provide a level pad and lessen the visual impact.  Retaining walls will be constructed on the north, east and south sides.  Will include a pre-fabricated 900 square foot building to house control and monitoring equipment.  Substation structures will be galvanized metal.  Construction is scheduled to begin in 2015 and be complete by the end of 2015 or the first half of 2016.

Proposed Bayfield Substation

QUESTIONS?

Mobile Substation