Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is investing in the Monterey Peninsula's power infrastructure with the installation of a $3.2 million transformer at the Del Monte Substation. This upgrade replaces a 50-year-old unit, offering a 2.5x increase in capacity and enhanced grid reliability for nearly 30,000 customers.

The project, supported by $7 million in additional infrastructure investments, includes new power lines and equipment to integrate the transformer into the grid. The upgrade is part of PG&E's effort to modernize aging infrastructure and reduce outages caused by system limitations.

"In order to work on this substation, we had to temporarily remove some redundancy in the Monterey network," said Jeremy Howard, PG&E's Central Coast Regional Manager. "But once operational, this new transformer will diversify service, enabling faster recovery from outages and supporting economic growth in the region."

Residents like Tommy Marquez, who has experienced frequent outages, hope the upgrade will bring more consistent service. "With a newborn, managing power outages is tough," he said. "We're looking forward to fewer disruptions and more reliable power."

The new transformer is expected to be operational by March 2025, providing improved resilience against outages caused by storms or falling trees. PG&E is also planning a new substation in downtown Monterey, a project that will take several years to complete.

Source: ksbw.com