TUSTIN : Electrical Substation Worries Residents

Residents of North Tustin are concerned about Southern California Edison’s plan to build an electrical substation in their quiet neighborhood.

Although a temporary substation is already operating at 17th Street and Esplanade Avenue, the facility’s permit will expire early next year, Orange County Zoning Administrator Robert White said.

Edison officials have submitted final plans for the permanent station, which would be surrounded by a wall and trees. But the North Tustin Municipal Advisory Council on Wednesday night voted 4 to 1 to ask Edison officials to revise the plan to address the concerns of residents.

“We were very unhappy with the proposal they brought us,” said Dessa Shroeder, chairwoman of the council.

Shroeder said citizens are concerned about the health effects of living near the substation and would like it to be built underground. They are also concerned about the aesthetics of a planned 70-foot-tall pole with wires draping from it. The group is asking Edison to place the wires underground as well.

“They can do it and there’s really no reason not to do it,” Shroeder said. “We as consumers are picking up the bill anyway.”

Councilwoman Phyllis Spivey voted against a resolution asking Edison to revise the plan because of concerns about increased costs, Shroeder said.

Ray Hawley, district manager for Edison, said the outgoing, low-voltage wires will be underground but that placing the incoming, high-voltage wires underground would add more than $200,000 to the station’s $4-million price tag.

“Technically, we can do it, but it’s not economical,” Hawley said. Customers requesting the underground wires would have to foot the bill, he said. As for putting the substation underground, Hawley said Edison does not have any underground facilities and does not plan to build any.

White said that county staff will be reviewing the plans with Edison officials in an effort to meet community concerns. The plan will probably be considered by the Orange County Planning Commission in about two months, he said. The target date for the substation to begin service is May, 1991.