Expect Tons of Trucks on San Miguel Road for the Next Nine Months

Susan Heavilin
10 minutes ago
2 min read

San Diego Gas & Electric is planning to begin more construction at their Miguel Substation, located at the east end of San Miguel Road.

Expect an abundance of SDG&E trucks headed to the plant starting at 7AM, with the potential for extended work hours (past 3:30PM), night work and weekend work.

This will continue until the work is completed, forecasted for completion in May 2027.

Here are the details:

Letter, page one | Click on image to enlarge.

Letter, page two | Click on image to enlarge.

According to SDG&E, the Miguel Substation is a major 500/230-kilovolt electrical facility located on San Miguel Road in Bonita, California. It is operated by San Diego Gas & Electric to manage and distribute power across the region.

Its function is to act as a central hub for the regional power grid, handling electricity from power plants and transmission lines located to the south and east. It connects major lines, including the Miguel-Mission line and the Miguel to Bay Boulevard transmission line which measures 10 miles in length.

Grid support helps reduce power flow bottlenecks and brings cleaner or alternative energy sources into the local San Diego network. New technology has been used to test advanced energy storage systems, such as flow batteries, to support grid reliability.

San Diego Gas & Electric's vanadium redox battery storage pilot project at the Miguel substation in Bonita | Photo by SDG&E | May 6, 2019 | Click on image to enlarge

I remember the last time they worked on the Miguel Substation that there was a constant flow of vehicles, from pickups to cranes and everything in between. All moving quickly in a determined effort to arrive at their destination.

The letter states this is Phase One with Phase Two beginning in 2028. I wonder how many phases will follow?

I don't know if the vehicles access San Miguel Road via Briarwood Road or Bonita Road but you can count on densely-occupied roadways well into the next year.

For information on new technology integrated into the Miguel Substation in 2019, read Rob Nikolewski's story (The San Diego Union-Tribune) "New Battery Storage Technology Connected to California Power Grid."

Letter information provided by Cub Reporter, Area 1 (East San Miguel Road). Additional information from SDG&E website and SD Union-Tribune | August 27, 2026