But when Anaheim Public Utilities needs to strengthen the reliability and capacity of its electrical grid in Southern California, that means working hard to fit in.

“With everything that’s going on in the city, Anaheim has some fairly high expectations,” says Gary Pare, engineer-procure-construct (EPC) project manager at Burns & McDonnell. “They want a safe, efficient project within their budget and timeline, of course. But it also means reflecting the city’s deservedly high standards, and we’re proud to be able to deliver.”

For the $30 million replacement of Southwest Substation, Pare’s design and construction team is working to meet this high bar through coordinated communications, phased construction and attentive design.

At its core, the project includes installing two new 69/12-kV power transformers, a 12-kV metal-clad switchgear and two 12-kV capacitor banks, plus station service transformers and a new control building equipped with protection, communications, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

The infrastructure is replacing equipment that poses potential reliability and capacity issues, even as it remains so critical that it must stay in service until power loads can be switched over to the new system, a complicated series of tasks expected by the end of next summer. The site is snug, tucked between a drainageway, Energy Field Park and residences along South Ninth Street.

When duct banks are installed underground, the excavated dirt is retained on-site — either piled safely to the side or dumped carefully onto space previously reserved for street sweepers to turn around. This keeps operations moving forward while minimizing truck traffic in the neighborhood.

Neighborly design elements also make a difference. Dozens of drought-resistant shrubs, bushes and trees will dot the project’s perimeter, taking root outside a precast concrete wall standing 15 feet tall — nearly twice that of the assemblage of stacked concrete blocks being replaced. The new wall includes decorative stone stamping, giving the exterior an architectural texture often seen bordering residential areas throughout the region.

Pare is aware of both the look and the needs. As an Anaheim resident, he knows that his fellow 360,000+ residents both demand and deserve reliable electrical service, all without sacrificing aesthetics.

“Our goal is that this is going to be a beautiful, cohesive addition to the neighborhood,” he says.