Southern California Edison
Hardening the electric grid in Southern California
PROJECT STORY
The challenge
Facing rising climate risk and increasing demand to integrate clean energy sources, Southern California Edison is focused on grid resilience.
The solution
Complex grid updates require holistic engineering solutions. Southern California Edison is partnering with our experts to license, redesign and rebuild transmission lines.
The impact
Southern California Edison is strengthening its reliability for customers, safeguarding against climate risks and preparing for a clean energy future.
664 miles
of transmission lines analyzed
4,134
individual transmission line clearance discrepancies cleared or remediated
4
complex, multidisciplinary environmental impact analyses developed
Rising climate risk challenges reliable electric grids
Southern California is famed for its year-round sunny weather. But in recent years, Californians have experienced hotter and drier summers, driving peak energy demands and leading to historic wildfires across the state.
One of the nation’s largest electric utilities, Southern California Edison (SCE), is eager to lead the charge for modernization. The utility is partnering with our engineering experts to research, redesign and rebuild more than 650 linear miles of transmission and distribution lines to prepare the system for a greener future. However, upgrading a grid that serves more than 15 million people means navigating challenges around climate adaptation, evolving regulations and maintaining service during construction.
Complex grid updates require holistic engineering solutions
Our team is bringing together electrical and structural engineers, environmental experts, GIS specialists, geotechnical engineers and CADD designers to develop holistic grid resilience measures. The coordination is critical with such a large grid – SCE’s coverage areas vary wildly in terms of topography and weather across the 430 cities and communities it serves. There are lines located in remote mountainous terrain that challenge accessibility. Some areas support industrial clients that need to account for a larger and consistent energy supply. Solutions applied, from raising the height of structures to rebuilding entire circuits, require unique combinations of the team’s expertise. Our specialists assist SCE with designing solutions, obtaining permits and mitigating environmental impacts for every upgrade.
We consider it an honor to be partnering with Southern California Edison on their grid modernization goals and increasing the safety of the electrical system with our environmental permitting, transmission engineering and geotechnical engineering expertise.
Strengthening grid resilience
SCE’s grid modernization strategy is blazing a trail toward a clean energy future in a state reeling from climate change impacts. Using a diverse team of experts from across engineering and environmental disciplines will allow it to maximize long-term reliability for customers and resilience against climate risk.
