Santa Cruz Reliability Project North
UniSource is preparing plans for new transmission facilities to improve the reliability and resiliency of the electric transmission system serving Santa Cruz County.
The Santa Cruz Reliability (SCR) Project North will strengthen the local energy grid by connecting its Kantor Substation located in Santa Cruz County to the regional electric grid in Pima County, while also performing upgrades to expand the substation’s capacity and accommodate operations and maintenance requirements.
SCR North is the first of three phases in a project designed to improve transmission service in the area.
In early 2024, UniSource began a comprehensive planning and siting study for the first phase of the Santa Cruz Reliability Project, to identify the best routes to build a new 138 kilovolt transmission line to connect its Kantor Substation in Santa Cruz County to the regional electric grid in Pima County. Following 20 months of study, which included 9 public meetings attended by hundreds of individuals who provided over 300 written comments, UniSource has identified the routes that will be included in an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC). The previously announced Route 2 was identified as the Preferred Route, while Route 1 was identified as an Alternative Route. Routes 3, 4, and 5 have been eliminated from consideration.
UniSource plans to file a CEC application in mid-September and a public hearing before the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee is tentatively scheduled for November 3-7, 2025. Once the application has been filed, and the hearing date is confirmed, UniSource will communicate further details by mail, email, and on the project webpage.