Substation Upgrades

Substations take power from high-voltage transmission lines and lower the voltage level so it can be sent in multiple directions to homes or businesses via smaller distribution lines.

Periodic upgrades to various substations in the MEA service area are necessary to support a safe, reliable system that meets increasing usage demands. Without these upgrades, members are likely to experience more outages. MEA’s substation upgrades also affect the entire 500-mile-long railbelt grid. Since the grid functions as an integrated system among many electric utilities, MEA has a responsibility to provide modern, stable substations.

Listed below are current substation upgrade projects underway:
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Parks Substation Redesign and Updating

The Parks Substation, located on Steffes Street in Birchwood, has reached the end of its useful life. This project will replace existing aging infrastructure to continue to provide safe, reliable service to thousands of residences in the Chugiak-Birchwood area. MEA has been working closely with the community on the Design and Planning process of the substation upgrade project. The project permitting process was completed in 2021 and construction will being in summer of 2022.

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See Drone footage of what the existing Parks Substation looks like in 2020:

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See a 3D Video of what the substation redesign project will look like:

See 3D Video of what the Parks Substation Redesign project will look like after 30 years of vegetation growth:

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Herning Substation Upgrade

MEA’s Herning Substation is located at the south end of Denali Street off of East Susitna Avenue in Wasilla and serves much of the commercial and industrial members in the Wasilla area. The Herning Substation Upgrade project replaced equipment in the substation that reached the end of its useful life and included two transmission feeds to the substation to increase reliability. The Herning Substation Upgrade project was completed in August 2021.

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