Sep 24, 2025
Colorado Springs Commits $130M to Substation Upgrade
Substation engineering is near and dear to our hearts here at Commonwealth. So we are always excited to hear about projects currently in the pipeline as well as those being developed for the future. And right now, one of the more exciting substation projects is happening in Colorado Springs, CO.
As the county seat of El Paso County, Colorado Springs is home to just under half-a-million people. Combined with its suburbs, the entire Colorado Springs metro boasts a population of over 755,000. They all expect their homes and businesses to be powered by reliable electricity.
Upgrading an Aged Substation
Colorado Springs is served by about 50 substations scattered across the area. Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) targeted one particular substation in the southeast section of the city for an upgrade. Its age and location were prime factors in its selection. The substation was originally built in the 1960s.
To say that it was showing its age is an understatement. CSU decided to spend $130 million to both upgrade and expand the site with a four-year project that won't be complete until early 2028. When it's done, the substation will be twice its original size and fitted with modern equipment that should continue serving local residents for decades into the future.
Better and More Reliable Equipment
So what is special about this new facility other than a doubled footprint? The new equipment is being installed across the entire site. For example, new circuit breakers capable of handling 230,000 volts will protect against system overloads that could wreak havoc down the line.
Running under the site are miles of copper coils to protect against major electrical faults. A central control building will monitor everything at the site. It is equipped with the latest technology that continually monitors for even the slightest malfunctions. Fail-save solutions in this building can quickly turn off equipment should problems arise.
In addition, state-of-the-art batteries are being installed to keep the control building powered. Even if the substation completely goes down, monitoring capabilities will continue uninterrupted inside the control building.
Some of the old equipment being removed from the substation will be disposed of. Other pieces will be kept and stored as backups. Still other components will be deployed at other substations around the area.
One of Many Projects
Though CSU is spending a tremendous amount of money to upgrade and expand the substation, it is not their only investment in the area. They are also working on a $650 million facility near Colorado Springs airport. This new facility includes new natural gas power generation and battery storage capabilities of up to 100 MW.
The priority at CSU is pretty simple: upgrade existing systems and build new ones to accommodate future growth. The city has been on an upward trajectory in that regard, seeing an influx of new residents over the last decade. CSU understands the need to keep up by staying ahead of system demands.
Other Projects Around the Country
CSU is one of many utilities around the country investing hundreds of millions of dollars in new and upgraded infrastructure. It is good to see across the board. Energy demands will only continue to grow as digital technologies take over more and more of our legacy systems. All those technologies need power, and lots of it.
Doubling the size of a substation and upgrading its equipment is not an outlier project. It is a common-sense project we are seeing more of. At some point, the entire grid will be replaced. Here at Commonwealth, we are thrilled to be part of it.
Back to All Insights