By Deborah Hong
Construction on LADWP’s first in-basin receiving station in more than three decades is ready for takeoff at the Los Angeles International Airport.
LADWP and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) broke ground on RS-X in November 2020 at LAX. The first in-basin receiving station built since 1987, RS-X marks an important power reliability project and supports the airport’s modernization plans by providing redundant power to all major LAX facilities.
The new customer station will feature advanced substation automation, redundant power supply capability, up-to-date circuit breaker technology, relaying equipment, fault detection systems and fiber-optics network communications between LADWP stations.
“LAX is the nation’s second busiest airport, so RS-X is critical in maintaining the airport’s power reliability, resiliency, and ensuring a safe and positive experience for the traveling public,” said General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin Adams.
Expected to be completed in 2023, the project represents a significant partnership between the two agencies. LADWP is the designer and technical expert on the project and LAWA will construct the underground-to-grade enabling infrastructure.
“RS-X is a critical piece of infrastructure to provide the necessary resources for LAWA’s electrification efforts in addition to increasing reliability and resiliency, and demonstrates the collaborative spirit between two sister agencies,” said Louis Ting, Director of LADWP’s Power Planning, Development and Engineering.
Under the leadership of the Power Planning, Development and Engineering Division, LADWP’s Power Construction and Maintenance Division will construct RS-X and the Power Transmission and Distribution Division will install the final connections. The design by Substation Engineering Section engineers incorporates the latest technologies. The Major Projects and Generation Engineering Section will ensure designs and construction comply with LADWP standards.
The Distribution System Development and Engineering Section will oversee appropriate electrical connections into LAX. Civil and Structural Engineering staff has reviewed LAWA’s designs, and Power System Drafting has produced the necessary prints for LAWA engineers and construction crews.
Power System’s Electrical and General Construction forces will equip the station with high voltage equipment, structural steel racks, specialized relays and metering and control systems, and will perform start-up testing and commissioning. Power Distribution Construction will connect the appropriate distribution cables and wires. LADWP will operate the station once completed.
Feature photo:
LADWP and LAWA project teams at the groundbreaking of RS-X. (Photo by Chris Corsmeier)
