RG&E Begins Substation Upgrades in West Irondequoit
Upgrades will improve reliability for 5,182 customers in West Irondequoit; meet the growing demand for additional power in the region
Part of Substation Circuit Breaker Replacement Program, which focuses on the enhancement of the conditions of circuit breakers, reducing outages
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — May 20, 2025 — Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) will begin construction this month at the Company’s substation located at 250 Seneca Park Avenue in West Irondequoit. This project will upgrade the substation to meet the growing demand for additional power in the region.
These enhancements will improve the reliability and resiliency of the entire transmission system, ensuring that the safe and reliable distribution of power is maintained.
“In 2021, 32% of substation outages were caused by substation breakers. This program replaces units at all voltage levels but focuses on the distribution breakers with a direct impact on customers,” said Angelica Gomez, project manager for RG&E. “The project will improve the substation infrastructure in order to avoid power disruptions in the service area. These new technological innovations will ensure the Company can meet the challenges of today and the future.”
“I am excited about the upgrades to RG&E Substation 97,” said Andraè Evans, Town of Irondequoit Supervisor. “This will ensure that our residents continue to receive valued services needed to keep Irondequoit a vibrant community now and in the future.”
The existing substation structure will be upgraded to improve performance. Those upgrades include the replacement of the 4.16kV switchgear, a new AC/DC distribution system with HVAC equipment, and protection and control panels dedicated to the new network automation platform. Upgrades to disconnect switches and voltage transformers will also be completed. This allows crews to remotely monitor the state of equipment and lines to minimize outages and any potential dangers to the system.
The Substation Circuit Breaker Replacement Program replaces circuit breakers that are assessed as approaching end-of-life and have a greater probability of failure.
The reconfigured system will allow the crews to provide a faster response and reduce the likelihood of widespread outages. The $3.3M project is expected to be completed in September 2025. This is part of RG&E’s investments in aging infrastructure across its service areas. The Company is committed to building a stronger, cleaner and more modern energy grid, delivering benefits to customers.
Media Contact:
Alexis Arnold