Re-Building to Begin on Red Mountain Electrical Reliability and Broadband Improvement Project

To continue to serve as backup power source for consumers in the communities of Ridgway and Ouray, the transmission power line that traverses the beautiful and treacherous Red Mountain Pass along US 550, needs to be re-built. Originally constructed in 1928, the Red Mountain line has been maintained, repaired, and upgraded many times, but has reached its functional end-of-life according to San Miguel Power Association (SMPA) Chief Operating Officer, Jeremy Fox. “While the re-build will be costly,” states Fox, “a new line, engineered with current technologies and design practices will be safer and easier to maintain in the difficult mountain terrain.”

The project is being conducted in several phases with the first phase having taken place in 2021 and 2022. SMPA worked closely with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) representatives, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and stakeholders in neighboring communities, to conduct vegetation removal above US Highway 550. This served to mitigate fire risk in the area and it cleared the work zone for re-build operations.

At their September, 2023 meeting, the SMPA Board of Directors approved a staff proposal to begin Phase 2, which is the re-construction of 4.5 miles of 44kV transmission line between the Idarado and Red Mountain electrical substations. The work will include the replacement of existing line / structures with new, environmentally-tailored structures that will also be fewer in number.

“This construction phased approach offers a number of benefits,” says Fox.

1. It respects the construction period, which is limited by weather, terrain and USFS environmental restrictions.
2. It spreads the upfront construction cost of the entire project over several years to minimize the impact to SMPA members.
3. It allows for the extended material lead times that have affected the industry since the global pandemic.
4. It allows SMPA to begin capitalizing the cost of the re-build by constructing the “easiest” section first.
5. It minimizes the impacts of temporary traffic stops on the connected communities of Ouray and Silverton.

Traffic stops over Hwy 550, proved to be a major concern for the connected communities of Ouray and Silverton, during the vegetation management phase. “Our communities spoke, and we listened,” said Fox. “We adjusted the work timelines and increased our outreach. Mostly, we just listened and tried to be responsive to the community concerns. We were glad to find that most of the stakeholders were supportive of the project. We have remained highly engaged and sensitive to the stakeholder feedback.”

Fortunately, the construction phases look to less demanding on the traveling public than that of the vegetation management phase. “When a helicopter needs to carry something over the highway, traffic needs to be stopped,” said Fox, “…however, these holds can be relatively quick and infrequent depending on the action.”

An additional benefit to the power reliability, is the expansion of fiber optic pathways over the new lines. As communities in the rural western slope look to improve internet access, more connections, and an expanded broadband network reliability is always a desirable end.

A contractor has been selected and SMPA aims to see work begin around June of 2024.