By Jason KUROSU

Southern California Edison has been upgrading circuits and replacing poles and transformers throughout the La Crescenta-Montrose community as part of a local project to improve reliability in La Crescenta and a long-term grid modernization project.

According to SCE officials, 93 poles in the La Crescenta-Montrose area will be upgraded from 4 kV to 12 and 16 kV circuits in order to better protect against inclement weather conditions and prevent repeated repairs of the area’s electrical infrastructure.

“SCE reviewed circuit loading, outage history and causes for the area, and identified areas for improvement,” said Francisco Martinez, SCE Local Public Affairs region manager. “Upgrading the circuits in La Crescenta will help minimize the likelihood of unanticipated and extended outages.”

Martinez said construction should be completed by 2016.

Edison’s Sharon Substation, located on Foothill Boulevard, will be taken offline once the project is completed. However, Martinez said there aren’t currently plans for the property, saying it was “too early to tell” how SCE would utilize the substation.

“As we integrate more of what is called distributed generation on our grid – such as rooftop solar or energy storage – it is imperative that our grid can handle new technologies while providing customers with safe and reliable electricity,” said Martinez. “We’re not only improving reliability, but building a smarter grid that can handle the needs of customers for decades to come.”

  Jason Kurosu