Puget Sound Energy selects route for new Bainbridge 'missing link' transmission line

Nathan Pilling, Kitsap Sun
·3 min read

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND – Puget Sound Energy has selected a route for its planned new transmission line on Bainbridge Island, infrastructure that the utility says will improve electric reliability in the community by about 40% by linking two of its existing substations in a loop.

The line would run between the utility's Murden Cove and Winslow substations via Sportsman Club Road, High School Road, Fletcher Bay Road and Bucklin Hill Road, according to a presentation given by PSE officials Tuesday night. The utility expects the new transmission line will be in service in 2025 or 2026.

PSE said the route it selected was the shortest of those it was considering and would touch the fewest parcels, noting that the route already has existing overhead distribution lines along its entire length in the road right of way.

The route would provide the best opportunity to minimize impacts on trees, wetlands and habitats, private property and residential neighborhoods and schools, PSE said, adding that it would collocate the transmission line over existing distribution lines “unless there are specific locations where this is not feasible or there are better design alternatives.”

A rendering of how the transmission line would look on Fletcher Bay Road, just north of the Winslow substation looking to the north. Per PSE: "Fletcher Bay Road is where most of the tree removals for this project are anticipated. PSE also anticipates the need to trim trees that extend over the roadway opposite the transmission line."
A rendering of how the transmission line would look on Fletcher Bay Road, just north of the Winslow substation looking to the north. Per PSE: "Fletcher Bay Road is where most of the tree removals for this project are anticipated. PSE also anticipates the need to trim trees that extend over the roadway opposite the transmission line."

PSE has three substations on the island: Port Madison, off Day Road; Winslow, off Bucklin Hill Road; and Murden Cove, off Sportsman Club Road. The new transmission line would connect the Winslow and Murden Cove stations, a move that would create a loop that could maintain power to homes and businesses even if one of the connections to those stations were severed by a tree.

Andy Wappler, PSE senior vice president and chief customer officer, said the lack of a link between the substations is “…very rare in our system overall in western Washington and why unfortunately if you’re on Bainbridge island, you haven’t enjoyed the same reliability as our average customer of the PSE system. We want to boost your reliability, help keep those lights on during some of these dark November nights and the rest of the year.”

Of the several hundred substations PSE has in its system, the Winslow and Murden Cove locations are two of a “handful” in this situation, Wappler said.

“Now if we can connect those two lines, which is why we’re calling this the missing link, we think we can improve reliability by about 40% on the island,” he said.

Andrew Padula, a spokesman for the utility, confirmed in an email to the Kitsap Sun that “reliability and system improvement” costs are distributed evenly across all roughly 1.2 million PSE customers. If the community wanted to bury power lines underground, costs would be shared with the city of Bainbridge Island, Wappler said.

The majority of poles for the new 115 kV transmission line would be wood poles 60-75 feet above ground, though there could be some locations with other pole types, such as where the line turns a corner, Padula said.

A rendering showing the new Bainbridge Island power transmission line on Sportsman Club Road, near the entrance to Woodward Middle School.
A rendering showing the new Bainbridge Island power transmission line on Sportsman Club Road, near the entrance to Woodward Middle School.

PSE said visual surveys along the route it selected identified it as having a lower density of tree canopy than other routes, noting that it was committed to replacing trees that were removed for the project.

“Additional work will be undertaken during design to first avoid and then to minimize potential impacts,” the utility said. “PSE’s goal is to remove as few trees as possible while building and maintaining a safe and reliable transmission line to serve the community.”

Andy Swayne, municipal liaison manager for PSE, said that based on field reviews, wetland impacts couldn’t be avoided with any of the route options that were considered, but said that they would be minimized.

“We expect that the primary impact to wetlands will be select removal of vegetation along the roadside edge," he said, "and we expect that the majority of the new transmission line will be collocated with existing distribution lines, which is anticipated to minimize impacts to the environment, including wetlands."

For more information about the new transmission line, visit psebainbridge.participate.online.

A graphic showing the selected route for Puget Sound Energy's new transmission line on Bainbridge Island.
A graphic showing the selected route for Puget Sound Energy's new transmission line on Bainbridge Island.

Nathan Pilling is a reporter covering Bainbridge Island, North Kitsap and Washington State Ferries for the Kitsap Sun. He can be reached at 360-792-5242, nathan.pilling@kitsapsun.com or on Twitter at @KSNatePilling.

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This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: PSE selects route for new Bainbridge 'missing link' transmission line