Kipper Substation

UniSource has determined that new systems are required to strengthen electric reliability and support residential and commercial development. The project will expand transmission capacity to serve customers’ growing energy needs. The Kipper Substation will be built on a 5-acre site on Kipper Street in Rio Rico, east of Interstate 19. The substation will interconnect with the existing 138 kilovolt (kV) transmission line serving Santa Cruz County.

Peak energy use in the area increased 13 percent in 2021, driving systemwide usage to a new all-time high. In 2022, UniSource installed a mobile substation next to our Sonoita Substation, providing a temporary expansion of system capacity and support for reliable summertime service. The new substation will support reliable service for customers by helping to avoid overload conditions that can lead to power outages while allowing for the eventual removal of temporary transformer facilities.

The Kipper Substation will be built on vacant land zoned for industrial use. UniSource must obtain a conditional use permit from Santa Cruz County before construction can begin.

• Site Plan
• Kipper Substation Purpose, Requested Approvals

If you have any questions, please contact Jenna Reilly, Environmental and Land Use Planner at jenna.reilly@uesaz.com or (520) 734-5488.