Adding Power & Reliability to the Grid
LS Power – Orchard Substation, the largest static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) installation in North America
Huron, CA – On May 1st, 2025, IBEW Local Union 1245 representatives joined state, industry, and political leaders and other stakeholders for the Energization Ceremony at Orchard Substation located outside Huron, California to celebrate the completion of the LS Power—Orchard Substation, a plant built with the expertise and skill of IBEW members.
The culmination of a five-year project, the substation was made fully operational on March 12, 2025, and represents the largest static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) installation in North America.
This project will add 800 megavolt-amperes reactive (MVAR) of support to PG&E’s existing Gates Substation.
L-R: Paul Segal, CEO L.S. Power, Mark Mulburn, Sr. VP L.S. Power, Paul Thessen, President L.S. Power
Begun in 2020 with an award from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), construction started in 2023. Over the next two years, in a remarkable feat, the construction phase concluded with zero OSHA recordables in over 100,000 hours on the project. IBEW members employed with TTR Substations spearheaded the effort.
At the ceremony, LS Power’s Senior Vice President Mark Milburn, President Paul Tessen, and CEO Paul Segal highlighted the advanced technologies utilized for the duration of the project.
Representatives from PG&E and CAISO—direct beneficiaries of this project—also attended, along with staff members from Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and Congressman Adam Gray’s offices. These leaders emphasized the positive economic impact of this project, including enhanced reliability of the grid.
Paul Thesson, President, L.S. Power
Prior to conclusion of the event, LS Power announced a $5,000 donation to the Central California Food Bank (CCFB), a non-profit focused on ending hunger in the Central Valley, and to the AMOR Wellness Center, which offers a variety of services and programs in the area.
At a time when infrastructure reliability concerns and an ever-increasing thirst for energy are on the rise, these special projects will continue to grow capacity and technical expertise. IBEW workers will continue to meet these challenges, giving life to these projects with their expertise, technical know-how and adherence to safety standards.
– Ethan Stonecipher, IBEW 1245 Assistant Business Manager