Crux Subsurface Inc. recently was awarded micropile foundation work on TL 6926, a segment of San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) wood-to-steel replacement program. Crux’s involvement will include the design and construction of 20 micropile foundations at 16 tower sites over the seven-mile alignment.

TL 6926 links a pair of substations near Escondido, Calif., and will require the replacement of 126 total poles to improve the reliability of the line in fire- and wind-prone areas. Sixteen replacement sites are located in challenging, steep terrain where conventional foundation construction would be inefficient or impossible. For these locations, Crux will install micropile foundations with patent-pending technology.

SDG&E’s wood-to-steel program is intended to improve fire safety while simultaneously reducing maintenance expenses. The program involves the replacement of more than 5,000 wooden poles in rural areas throughout San Diego County, and is expected to take another three or four years to complete.

This will be the sixth wood-to-steel segment Crux has been awarded foundation work on; construction of this segment is scheduled to begin in January.