SDG&E to discuss substation, power-line project Wednesday

San Diego Gas & Electric will present a public meeting from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mission San Juan Capistrano to provide information about the utility's plans to replace its substation in San Juan and upgrade power lines in an 8.26-mile corridor between San Juan and San Clemente.

SDG&E engineers and team leaders will discuss the project, which is designed to improve the electrical system's reliability. They'll take questions, and light refreshments will be served, SDG&E says.

Plans call for demolishing the current substation at 30127 Camino Capistrano and replacing it with a new 45- to 50-foot-tall structure on the same 6-acre site. In addition, new power lines on taller steel towers would be installed in some places in San Juan and San Clemente to supply more electricity, SDG&E says.

The construction cost is estimated at $435 million. SDG&E plans to submit an application to begin the permit and environmental-review process this spring. It hopes to begin construction in late 2013, with completion in 2017.

For more information about Wednesday's meeting, call Brian Lochrie at 949-294-8269. Mission San Juan Capistrano is at 26801 Ortega Highway.