Transmission & Distribution Projects

Tonquin Project BETA

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Project Routes are subject to change pending public, engineering, and regulatory review.
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Tonquin Project BETA

PGE is working toward Oregon’s clean energy future -building a smarter, stronger, and more flexible grid to deliver customers the most cost-effective, reliable power today and into the future.  Customers rely on energy to power more of their lives than ever before. PGE is upgrading its infrastructure to bring on more diverse types of energy and to accommodate the many new ways we’re using it. These upgrades will support growth – in population, economic opportunity, and reliance on electricity to power our lives.

The Tonquin project upgrades 11 miles of 115kV transmission lines and adds a new substation in the southern portion of PGE’s service area. These improvements will support load growth, the new Willamette Water Supply facility, and improve reliability for the entire region.

This multi-year, multi-segment construction project is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2023 and will be completed by the end of 2025. 

To learn more detail about the project, click on the video and review the interactive map illustrating the project components. Note that visual simulations are approximations for illustrative purposes only. Final engineering and construction details may change pending public, regulatory and utility review.

View Fact Sheet

Timeline

'23
'24
'25
Overall Project Time
Meridian-Sherwood Loop
Rosemont-Wilsonville
Sherwood-Wilsonville
McLoughlin-Tonquin
Tonquin Substation Construction

Schedule and scope is subject to change pending review.

Proposed Tonquin Substation

Substations serve as electrical intersections that reduce the voltage and act as a distribution and switching system to the homes and businesses they serve. PGE’s proposed Tonquin substation is a first step in meeting increased growth in the Sherwood, Tualatin, and surrounding areas and improving power reliability throughout the region. It will provide relief to two nearby substations nearing their electric load capacity. This construction phase is scheduled to begin in summer 2023 and will be completed in spring 2024. The site for the proposed substation is located on PGE property in the City of Tualatin.

Photo Simulations

These photo simulations help provide an accurate and realistic depiction of a planned project. They use photography and detailed 3D renderings to create ‘before and after’ simulations of the project at different locations. Simulations consider the width of the right of way, vegetation management requirements, environmental considerations, visual impacts, and material finishes to help illustrate how the proposed project may look when it is built. Note that photo simulations are approximations for illustrative purposes and to facilitate discussion. Final engineering and construction details may change pending public, regulatory, and utility review.

There are two ways to use this tool:

  • On the overview map, click the photo simulation icon at any of the locations. Click ‘view simulation’ on the photo that pops up. Click and drag the slider to see the transition between existing and proposed conditions.
  • In the project segments, click the photo simulation of interest. Click and drag the slider to see the transition between existing and proposed conditions.

Information Resources

To further your understanding of the project, view or download project videos, documents, and frequently asked questions.

Electric & Magnetic Fields (EMF) Fact Sheet

View Fact Sheet

Related Videos

Overhead Power Line Construction

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Topic Video 1

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Topic Video 1

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Important Documents

Meridian - Sherwood Loop

Rosemont - Wilsonville

Sherwood - Wilsonville

McLoughlin - Tonquin

Tonquin Substation

Frequently Asked Questions

A: The Tonquin Project expands, strengthens and creates smarter, more flexible energy infrastructure to reliably serve existing and future PGE customers in the Portland metro area. Grid flexibility allows us to accommodate the many new ways we’re using and transporting diverse types of energy, like those from renewable resources. Additionally, the project creates redundancy to the existing system. This means power can be supplied to homes and businesses from two or more sources. Should power be interrupted from a single source, PGE can rely on a second source to restore power to customers faster, reducing or eliminating the length of time power is interrupted.
A: Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023 and completed in 2025. However the schedule is subject to change.
A: This project supports new electric loads on the system as our regional economy grows and looks for more resilient options. Improving the electric grid supports the Northwest as we move towards decarbonization of transportation, buildings, and industries. Regional transmission projects, like Tonquin, are initiated based upon the projected needs of our customers. Timely updates to our system encourage reliability and growth within our region’s industries such as technology, cloud computing, health care and professional services. The Tonquin project, like many large scale projects, typically create stable construction and professional jobs with local companies, manufacturers, and service providers. As with any large capital project, PGE works to minimize the impact on our environment, and on the total cost of investments that ultimately are paid by customers through monthly bills.
A: The project strengthens the grid and helps to meet NERC reliability standards by:
  • Installing new steel poles to replace existing wood poles for more resiliency against potential fires.
  • Upgrading system technology for faster fiber optic communication between substations and system operations equipment.
  • Creating system redundancy from multiple energy sources that restore power to customers faster in the event of a power interruption.
  • Supporting the current and projected demand for energy from regional economic growth.
  • PGE must maintain transmission reliability according to standards set by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
  • The pace at which load is growing in our area puts PGE’s current system at risk for failure, which is the genesis for this project. It will also help PGE meet growing electrification demand in the broader Portland-metropolitan area.
  • Overall, upgrading the system to expand and strengthen transmission and substation infrastructure will increase capacity and flexibility management in anticipation of electric load growth
  • Incorporating a new substation into the system will provide relief to two nearby substations that are nearing their electric load capacity and will accommodate three new 115 kV transmission lines for additional capacity
  • Adding segments of new transmission line will increase electric load capacity and interface with the existing transmission system allowing more flexibility in operation and more redundancy thereby reducing the risk of outages
  • Upgrading the system will allow for resiliency and redundancy by using multiple energy sources
  • Upgrading system technology with fiber optic communication between transmission and system operation equipment allows for a smarter system (e.g., faster relay and response) and more efficient operation
  • Upgrading and/or replacing infrastructure extends the life of and improves the transmission system thereby reducing the risk of infrastructure failure
A: In order to comply with National Electric Safety Code (NESC) guidelines and provide safe and reliable power, the removal or pruning of some trees may be necessary. The current guidelines for these 115 kV transmission lines require no trees within 30 feet of structures. This provides room to inspect and maintain equipment and avoid issues such as outages caused by branches and/or trees falling onto a line or structure. There are many other replanting options that will support habitat and a healthy diversity of vegetation should removal or trimming be necessary. You can find more information about this topic in our power lines and vegetation brochure and Vegetation Management Video
A: There are numerous federal, state and city agency initiatives that support and/or mandate the reduction of carbon emissions over an established time frame.
  • Oregon Public Utilities Commission –
  • City of Portland –
  • State of Oregon – House Bill 2021
  • Federal –
A: A comprehensive routing study determined Stafford Road provides the most direct route through this area with the least amount of environmental and community impact.
A: Yes. There may be some unique private property scenarios that will require easement acquisition. A PGE real estate representative will negotiate with property owners based on the fair market value of the easement should one be needed. Along Stafford Road, PGE may need to obtain easements from approximately 80 private property owners.

What will the project look like?

Use the map above to explore the project and see detailed information about the proposed structures. Click the structure location dots to display specific information including proposed structure height and type. The image below is to help illustrate the project elements, although final engineering and construction details may change pending public, regulatory and utility review.

Welcome to GeoVoice

GeoVoice is an interactive map tool for transmission line projects. You can use GeoVoice to explore and comment on proposed projects and participate firsthand in the process. To use GeoVoice, follow the instructions below.

If you’d rather contact PGE to share a comment, click the Contact Us link below.

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Help and Support

Use the interactive map to explore the project area, and to submit comments or locational information about your property as it relates to the project.

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