Reconductoring: Preparing Austin's Electric Grid for the Future

Keeping Austin's electric grid reliable requires ongoing investment. One way Austin Energy, working in partnership with Austin Capital Delivery Services, helps maintain that reliability is through reconductoring, which replaces and upgrades above-ground power lines and related electrical equipment to increase capacity, improve reliability, and prepare the grid for future needs.

Austin Energy recently completed reconductoring work along South Lamar Boulevard, replacing aging infrastructure and increasing the amount of electricity the line can carry. The upgraded line provides about 10 megawatts of additional capacity to support future growth in the area.

The project also replaced older equipment, some of it as much as 40 years old, with more durable materials that meet current safety and construction standards. Crews installed 73 new poles, including stronger steel poles designed to better withstand storms and everyday wear. The new poles were also positioned to provide safer clearance over driveways along South Lamar Boulevard.

According to Austin Energy Electric System Field Operations Director Paul Vasquez, reconductoring is like widening a busy highway. Instead of constructing an entirely new route, crews replace aging electrical infrastructure with newer, higher-capacity equipment to move more electricity through the existing corridor.
"As the city grows, we have to expand our capacity and make sure our system is more resilient," Vasquez said. "It's the same idea with electricity. We replace poles and wires so the system can meet today's needs and support future growth."

Rather than removing the old system first, crews typically build the new infrastructure alongside the existing equipment. Once the new poles and conductors are in place, crews transfer electrical service to the upgraded system before removing the older infrastructure.

The process is "kind of like a replace in place," Vasquez said, allowing Austin Energy to modernize the grid while minimizing interruptions for customers.

For the South Lamar project, overhead reconductoring was the more cost-effective and less disruptive approach to upgrading the electrical equipment. In busy corridors like Lamar Boulevard, underground electrical equipment can take longer to repair during emergencies, and those repairs can require additional construction and cause greater travel impacts.

Reconductoring projects require careful planning before major construction begins. Crews typically start by surveying the area, marking underground utilities, and installing new poles near existing ones. During construction, residents may see temporary lane closures and construction equipment, and occasional planned power outages may be needed while crews safely transfer customers to the new system.

Many reconductoring projects are coordinated through CDS when utility upgrades are completed alongside roadway, mobility, or other capital improvement projects. Combining multiple infrastructure improvements within the same corridor helps minimize disruption to the community while improving project efficiency. CDS helps plan the work, align numerous partners, and manage construction from start to finish.

Greg Pepper, Utility Coordination Program Manager with Austin Capital Delivery Services, works closely with Austin Energy to ensure that utility upgrades fit alongside major transportation projects.

"You're not just dealing with Austin Energy," Pepper explained. "There are telecommunications providers, traffic signals, government fiber, and other utilities that all have to be moved in the correct order."

For CDS, that coordination is one of the most important parts of the project. Reconductoring often occurs alongside transportation improvements and other infrastructure work, requiring careful sequencing among numerous City departments, utility providers and community partners. Austin Energy works closely with Austin Water, Austin Transportation and Public Works, Development Services, emergency responders, and neighborhood stakeholders throughout the planning and construction process. Crews also coordinate with property owners and businesses to minimize disruptions whenever possible.

With the South Lamar reconductoring work complete, the upgraded infrastructure is now positioned to serve the area as electricity needs continue to grow. By adding approximately 10 megawatts of capacity, replacing equipment that was decades old and installing 73 new poles, the project strengthens an important part of Austin's electric system while preparing it for future demand.