Skip to Content

Related News

  • Related News

  • Last Call for EWEB/Lane County Septic Grants

    Holiday Farm Fire recovery program now eligible for businesses, residential property owners who purchased post-fire, to cover inspection costs and new construction

    Find Out More
  • EWEB, Lane County host open house to gather feedback for “Leaburg Transportation Alternatives Analysis”

    “What is the Future of the Leaburg Dam Bridge?” open house exhibit on display at Lloyd Knox Park Visitor Pavilion through July 25

    Find Out More
  • EWEB Pilots New Line Safety Program for 4th graders.

    This year, EWEB is ramping up power line safety for children, specifically 4th graders.

    Find Out More
  • Improving habitat resiliency throughout the Upper McKenzie

    Environmental Responsibility is a core guiding value for EWEB decision-making. This summer, EWEB continues its commitment to environmental stewardship with a robust slate of habitat enhancement updates throughout the upper McKenzie River, across the footprint of the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project.

    Find Out More
  • EWEB weighs multi-billion-dollar decision affecting energy supply

    EWEB is weighing energy supply decisions that will cost nearly $2 billion over the next two decades.

    Find Out More
  • Show More
Deconstruction begins on Currin Substation near Garden Way and 105

February 23, 2023 Robyn Smith, EWEB Communications

Photo of an orange erosion fence around the substation

The Currin substation near Garden Way and 105, was constructed in 1962 and is considered the “Grand Central Station” of EWEB’s electrical grid. A lot of power flows through this station. It feeds power from BPA and Pacific Corp. transmission lines to EWEB’s grid, connects power upriver to the Hayden Bridge filtration plant and to Eugene’s downtown electrical network. But, “Grand Central” is about to get a big makeover. 

For the past year, EWEB’s electric division has been preparing for a complete reconstruction of the Currin substation. Quite simply, it’s reached the end of its useful life. 

“We’ve discovered more and more failures in this substation over the years and the overall design of the station does not meet modern expectations,” said Philip Peterson, EWEB systems engineer. 

Since the early 2000s, systematic upgrades to substation equipment have made operation of the 60-year-old station difficult as old and new equipment is unable to work together. Rebuilding the Currin substation will increase load capacity to ensure we meet future needs and improve reliability by avoiding outages due to equipment failure or routine maintenance. 

While Currin is decommissioned, power will continue to flow from other substations that can easily handle the load and demand until Currin has been fully reconstructed, most likely by spring of 2024. 

Erosion control construction on the site to mitigate construction debris is just finishing up and over the next few weeks, crews will begin demolition and removal of the aging infrastructure. 

Your rates play a role in infrastructure improvements

Currin is just the first of several substations scheduled for a rebuild over the next ten years as part of EWEB’s major infrastructure investments through our Capital Improvement Plan for rehabilitating, replacing, and installing new infrastructure.  

The electricity we all rely on would not be possible without the infrastructure that delivers it.

From power plants to distribution and transmission lines, substations, and transformers — utility infrastructure is a complex system that requires investment and maintenance to provide constant, reliable power.

Visit eweb.org/rateinfo to learn more about what goes into your EWEB rates and what you get for your money.

Pictured above: Erosion control fence installed at the Currin construction site.