HomeMy WebLinkAboutTIMBERLINE SUBSTATION - SPAR - SPA120005 - REPORTS - PLANNING OBJECTIVESATTACHMENT IA
If approved, Platte River would start construction of the wall at the Timberline Substation during
the spring of 2013. The installation of the wall around Dixon Creek Substation would start in the
fall of 2013.
Following the Spring Creek flood in 1997 the City installed a significant berm system around
portions of the Timberline Substation to prevent future flooding in the Substation. City staff then
submitted a revised floodplain map for the area to FEMA for approval that showed that the berm
system would protect the substation from future flooding at least up to a 100 year event. FEMA
has now approved the revised floodplain map for this area and Timberline Substation is now
deemed to be out of the Spring Creek flood plain area near Prospect and Timberline Roads.
The majority of the property at Dixon Creek Substation is owned by Platte River. There is a
small area on the east side of the Substation that is owned by the City of Fort Collins. The City
property purchase was made in the 1960's to allow a City owned transmission line to connect
with the then US Bureau of Reclamation 115kV transmission line. That federally owned 115kV
line is now owned and operated by a different federal agency, the Western Area Power
Administration. Since the 1960's Platte River has taken over operational responsibility for this
City owned transmission line and the line's connection is now connected into the substation
equipment system rather than being connected to just to one transmission line. But there does
remain a small parcel of City property near the east fence of the substation.
The property at Timberline Substation is owned by the City of Fort Collins and leased to Platte
River through 2050 as part of the Power Supply Agreement between the two entities. Platte
River will request permission from the City to replace the chain link fencing at Timberline in
accordance with a provision in the 2050 Power Supply Agreement which requires such
approval.
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Current View of Timberline Substation Looking Northeast
Simulated View of Completed Wall at Timberline
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• There will be an additional security system installed inside each substation that
will be monitored 24/7 to further enhance security of the substations.
• There are existing City of Fort Collins electric distribution facilities inside the
Dixon Creek and Timberline Substations that will be enclosed by the wall.
• Substantial metal gates will be installed at current gate locations. The gates are
designed to block views into the substation. There will not be any changes to the
existing access routes into the substations.
• Delivery trucks would deliver the block needed for the wall installation early in the
project and concrete trucks would deliver the concrete needed for the wall
foundations. The blocks delivered to the substation for the wall would be stored
inside the substation. The installation contractor's staff would work and park
inside the existing substation fenced area during the wall installation process. All
construction equipment would be parked at night and weekends inside the
existing fenced substation area.
• The construction staff will consist of 6-8 people.
• The wall will be designed to maintain existing drainage patterns across the
substations.
Landscaping plan at Dixon Creek
City Land Use Code Section 3.8.11 (A) requires walls if used along collector or arterial streets,
such features shall be made visually interesting and shall avoid creating a "tunnel" effect. The
Dixon Creek site has mature landscaping in place on the east, north, and south sides of the
substation adjacent to Overland Trail Road planted originally to soften the appearance of the
existing chain link fence line and substation equipment. Platte River plans to remove and
replace three dead and dying trees or stumps on the east side and add landscape boulders in
two areas to further soften the tunnel effect. In addition dense foliage including trees and shrubs
will be added to the Northeast and Southeast corners to provide passing pedestrian and vehicle
traffic added screening from the wall and substation. New trees and shrubs will also be added
along the north and south boundaries of the substation to cover approximately '/. of each fence
line. Platte River is not proposing to add landscaping past this point or along the outside of the
west fence line because the soil to the west of the substation is primarily shale rock and
vegetation stands little to no chance of survival. In addition the east wall will incorporate
architectural elements such as color variation, columns and articulation as shown on drawing
number LS204.
Photo simulations
Platte River hired a consultant to complete photo simulations of the proposed walls for the two
substations. Below is a current view of the substation followed by a simulated view with the
proposed wall around the substation. The color of the wall shown in the simulation is the color
selection Platte River would use for the actual wall. The simulation provides an idea of the
amount of substation equipment that becomes hidden from view at the distance of the picture
taker. The final picture is of a completed wall at a substation in Loveland.
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Dixon Creek Substation - Looking Northeast
Platte River's proposal is to replace the existing chain link fence with a 12 foot high wall
constructed of colored specially designed concrete blocks and to install new 12 foot high rolling
gates at access locations at the substation. The wall would be located along the same
alignment as the existing chain link fence, so existing set backs from the street to the wall would
stay the same as they exist today.
Technical information about the wall installation process —
• The 12 foot high concrete block wall will be built primarily to improve security for
the substations that are vital in serving the electric energy needs of the City of
Fort Collins. The secondary value of the wall is to reduce the view of the
equipment in the substation.
• The wall will be constructed of colored concrete blocks manufactured in Denver
that interlock to form a wall that is designed to withstand 105 mph wind loads.
• The wall will be constructed along the alignment of the existing chain link fence
around the substation. No substation expansion or additional property acquisition
is needed for this project. The existing chain link fence would be retained during
the block installation process for substation safety and security. As the wall is
installed the chain link fence is removed.
• It will take about four months to construct the wall around each substation.
• Platte River has used the same type of wall system to construct walls around six
other substation sites in Longmont, Loveland, and Laporte.
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Platte River Power Authority — Site Plan Advisory Review
Description of the Substation Wall Project
Platte River is proposing to install 12 foot Allen Block Fence Systems at our Dixon Creek
Substation located at the west end of Drake Road on the west side of Overland Trail and the
Timberline Substation located in the southwest corner of Prospect Street and Timberline Road
in east central Fort Collins.
Both of these substations have been in operation for many years and are surrounded by a chain
link fence for safety and security. The installation of Allen Block Fence Systems and internal
security system additions are intended to improve and enhance the security of these two
substations that are vital to the supply of reliable electricity not only to Fort Collins but also the
Northern Colorado region. Platte River has completed this type of wall installation at three
substations in Longmont, two substations in Loveland, and one substation in Laporte to date.
One of Platte River Power Authority's prime responsibilities is to deliver sufficient electricity to
Fort Collins to meet the needs of the residents and businesses of the community. Platte River's
230 kV substations contain many of the fundamental assets, such as, transformers, breakers,
busses, switches, capacitor banks, Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), and communication
systems necessary for the transmission and distribution of electric power to customers. If any of
these assets were to be severely damaged or destroyed, it could have a detrimental impact on
the reliability or operability of the electric grid, and/or cause significant risk to public health and
safety. The proposed walls are a key aspect of Platte River's 230Kv Substation Physical
Security policy intended to provide safeguards for personnel and physical security requirements
to prevent unauthorized access to assets, control systems, equipment, and information in 230
kV substations owned and maintained by Platte River Power Authority.
Below are aerial photos of the Dixon Creek and Timberline Substations