The El Rio Substation project in Elverta, California, is part of SMUD’s ongoing effort to modernize its transmission infrastructure and support its Zero Carbon Plan. Designed as a replacement for the aging Elverta Substation, the new El Rio facility will improve system reliability and provide capacity for large-scale renewable energy sources feeding into the Sacramento region. The project required precise foundation work and dependable hardware to support the steel structures, high-voltage equipment, and associated transmission connections essential to the upgraded substation.
Portland Bolt supplied a range of custom and high-strength foundation components for the substation’s construction, including threaded rebar, anchor plates, templates, standard nuts and washers, and multiple configurations of F1554 anchor bolts. These included F1554 Grade 36 anchor bolts with welded bottom nuts for secure embedment, as well as F1554 Grade 105 high-strength anchor rods for heavily loaded structures, and F1554 Grade 55 all-thread rods for smaller concrete foundations. All components were manufactured to project specifications, ensuring that the correct product was supplied and long-term performance in a demanding electrical environment. With reliable foundation hardware delivered on schedule, the contractor was able to move forward confidently with the construction of this key substation supporting SMUD’s transition to cleaner, carbon-free energy.
