By Lane Roberts

Xcel Energy recently applied for a construction permit to expand the Daniel’s Gate substation.  The electric substation is located on Monarch Boulevard just north of Daniel’s Gate, behind the Serena neighborhood.

The Castle Pines North Master Association will share feedback from homeowners regarding this expansion with Douglas County by May 15.  Please send comments with a reference to “substation expansion” to thompson@cpnhoa.org by Friday, May 5.

Currently, the Daniel’s Gate substation is 990 feet by 660 feet.  Xcel plans to expand the substation to 990 feet by 990 feet, for a total of 22.5 acres.  Potential upgrades to power lines in Castle Pines North, and the need to provide power to Denver from Southern Colorado, have resulted in the demand for this substation expansion. 

Additional Power Line Upgrades Coming

The Castle Pines North Master Association has been following the Xcel transmission power line upgrades for three years.  According to Master Association Vice President, Bruce Thompson, Xcel has also applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) which would increase noise pollution in the community. 

“Xcel wants to upgrade the existing lines on the larger poles from 230 kV to 345 kV, and replace the middle set of single 230 kV transmission lines with larger poles that will operate at either 230 kV or 345 kV,” said Thompson.  “We have put up a great fight and we have support of the PUC staff engineer to keep the noise limit at the original state statue level.”  Thompson said the PUC’s final resolution will be announced this summer.

Douglas County has sent two “Referral Response Requests” to the Master Association. Public hearings are set regarding these two Xcel issues on the dates below:

Monday, May 8 –

7 p.m., 100 Third Street, Castle Rock.

Transmission line upgrade to install second set of large poles in power line corridor adjacent to CPN.

Monday, June 12 –

7 p.m., at 100 Third Street, Castle Rock.

Construction permit to expand Daniel’s Gate Substation

For more information, please contact the Master Association at 303-482-3078 or e-mail thompson@cpnhoa.org.