Supercharger - San Jose, CA - 55 Race St (under construction, 8 V4 stalls)

[YRide]

Was wondering down Race Street a few weeks ago and saw fences up in the La Cazuelas annex parking lot. Peaked through the fence and saw it was Tesla HW (but no pedestals installed). Two weeks later I’m back and the fences are down, v4 pedestals installed. Looked up the permits and it seems most of the Tesla people involved no longer duty the company…so I’m surprised this progressed.

No PGE transformer spotted. Is it possible this is installed underground? A few months ago there was major PGE work, there was horizontal directional drilling, etc all the way down to the intersection with the alameda.

Cool these are v4. That cable is very thick though.

 

[bmah]

Nice find!

Underground transformer installs for Superchargers are rare…it looks like there’s plenty of room for a normal transformer pad.

@Guacahummus @corywright @Big Earl ^^^

Bruce.

 

[YRide]

You are correct @bmah. Looking back through permit docs…and there is definitely a transformer pad on the plans.

Wouldn’t the concrete transformer pad have been laid with the general construction though? With all the conduit? It’s just dirt and tree stump right now.

Does the underground service / meter indicate anything unique about this install?

 

[DoItDiff]

Wouldn’t the concrete transformer pad have been laid with the general construction though? With all the conduit? It’s just dirt and tree stump right now.

Not necessarily; I think Tesla's work and PG&E's work are separate. There have been multiple cases where Tesla is all done, down to even restriping the lot, and later (and sometimes a *lot* later) PG&E installs the transformer pad and the transformer, plus all the trenching and conduits to get grid power to the transformer. The chargers at Ikea in East Palo Alto is a recent example that comes to mind. Lost Hills sat for a year with a hole in the ground before the transformer pad and transformer were installed (there was a *lot* of trenching to get power to transformer).

 

[YRide]

Not necessarily; I think Tesla's work and PG&E's work are separate. There have been multiple cases where Tesla is all done, down to even restriping the lot, and later (and sometimes a *lot* later) PG&E installs the transformer pad and the transformer, plus all the trenching and conduits to get grid power to the transformer. The chargers at Ikea in East Palo Alto is a recent example that comes to mind. Lost Hills sat for a year with a hole in the ground before the transformer pad and transformer were installed (there was a *lot* of trenching to get power to transformer).

Ok, hope that is not the case. Honestly…was shocked to see in two weeks (after the mass layoff) to see it go from just the main SC racks to all pedestals being installed. Let’s see…

 

[Watts_Up]

No PGE transformer spotted. Is it possible this is installed underground?
A few months ago there was major PGE work, there was horizontal directional drilling, etc all the way down to the intersection with the alameda.

Looking at the current Street view of Google map, there was some underground work recently made at this intersection corner:

Looking at the blue print above, on the top right corner, there is a gas line indication (see annotated blue line)

On the blue print, there is also an electric line between the tall electrical wood pole and the transformer pad location (see annotated red line)

However, I wonder if there will be a high voltage connection coming from the top of the pole and gound then underground?

Looking back through permit docs…and there is definitely a transformer pad on the plans.
Wouldn’t the concrete transformer pad have been laid with the general construction though?
With all the conduit? It’s just dirt and tree stump right now.

Looking at the base of the electrical pole, it seems that there is a conduit already in place, and maybe an hidden underground box already installed.
I guess this might have been done when the sidewalk was paved. However, making a tranch from the pole to the transformer still seems needed.
But I doubt that this conduit could be used to carry some high voltage between the top of the pole to the ground?

 

[Mrbrock]

Looking at the current Street view of Google map, there was some underground work recently made at this intersection corner:

View attachment 1054527

Looking at the blue print above, on the top right corner, there is a gas line indication (see annotated blue line)


View attachment 1054539

On the blue print, there is also an electric line between the tall electrical wood pole and the transformer pad location (see annotated red line)

However, I wonder if there will be a high voltage connection coming from the top of the pole and gound then underground?



View attachment 1054529




Looking at the base of the electrical pole, it seems that there is a conduit already in place, and maybe an hidden underground box already installed.
I guess this might have been done when the sidewalk was paved. However, making a tranch from the pole to the transformer still seems needed.
But I doubt that this conduit could be used to carry some high voltage between the top of the pole to the ground?

View attachment 1054535

Underground service on the permit means the transformer will be pad mounted and fed unground. Pole mounted transformers for houses and business are quite common but the size needed for Superchargers is usually too much for pole mounted. Voltage increases on cables usually do not require upsized wires so that conduit at the base of the pole is likely sized and installed for this specific use. It probably goes underground and comes up where the transformer pad will be in the plans. Or is capped and buried underground where the pad will go and when they bring it in they will add the conduit to bring it above ground under the transformer.

Also, @YRide what is your definition of a few weeks ago? We are about 5 weeks out from the layoffs so if this broke ground before that (maybe just a basic trench before the equipment showed up) then this fits the normal timeline even though the layoffs happened after. If you look at the inspection slip, the request was received on 4/30/24 for the electrical release so the underground connection from the transformer pad to the suoerchargers was completed at that time which is before the layoffs. And there is a note about a light pole from 3/21/24 means this site was under construction back in March. Well before layoffs.

 

[YRide]

I don’t have exact timelines…but Race street was getting ripped up for multiple weeks (maybe even months?) prior to fences going up in the parking lot. That was the precision directional boring work that went all the way to the Alameda. That was much earlier in 2024, I believe Jan or Feb.

Then in April (could have been March but I didn’t remember that) fences went up in the parking lot. The Tesla layoffs happened after construction started….but per the permits it seems like the contractor is really driving the project at that point.

Didn’t think much of it until I peeked in on 5/11…supercharger cabinets installed, based for all the chargers, but no chargers (and no transformer pad nor transformer). So pretty fast construction I guess.

Then left for a couple weeks and last week checked in on 6/6, and the v4’s were all installed per earlier posts.

Anyways, seems pretty close. And I’m sure the contractor wants to get this finished (and get paid). And I’m sure the property owner wants it operational (not sure when/how they get paid…but assume it’s when things are on?). Maybe PGE will be there soon enough. Just hope there’s no issues with the final operational aspects on Tesla side. Been following the Arnold, CA install (now operational) and it seems like that had a mutli-week turn-on delay around time of supercharger team layoffs…but I think it was a longer wait for PGE transformer!

 

[Mrbrock]

I don’t have exact timelines…but Race street was getting ripped up for multiple weeks (maybe even months?) prior to fences going up in the parking lot. That was the precision directional boring work that went all the way to the Alameda. That was much earlier in 2024, I believe Jan or Feb.

Then in April (could have been March but I didn’t remember that) fences went up in the parking lot. The Tesla layoffs happened after construction started….but per the permits it seems like the contractor is really driving the project at that point.

Didn’t think much of it until I peeked in on 5/11…supercharger cabinets installed, based for all the chargers, but no chargers (and no transformer pad nor transformer). So pretty fast construction I guess.

Then left for a couple weeks and last week checked in on 6/6, and the v4’s were all installed per earlier posts.

Anyways, seems pretty close. And I’m sure the contractor wants to get this finished (and get paid). And I’m sure the property owner wants it operational (not sure when/how they get paid…but assume it’s when things are on?). Maybe PGE will be there soon enough. Just hope there’s no issues with the final operational aspects on Tesla side. Been following the Arnold, CA install (now operational) and it seems like that had a mutli-week turn-on delay around time of supercharger team layoffs…but I think it was a longer wait for PGE transformer!

View attachment 1054915

At this point the contractor will get paid for work done and the wait is for pge. Looking for a transformer here. You mentioned a tree stump here which would be an odd place for a pad.

 

[Watts_Up]

At this point the contractor will get paid for work done and the wait is for pge. Looking for a transformer here. You mentioned a tree stump here which would be an odd place for a pad.
View attachment 1054926

Honestly, when looking at Google street view, the area where the transformer and the Tesla cabinets are located,
it seems that there are mostly bushes. But I could not see if there is also a tree stump hidden underneath.
The tree at the corner could be saved, however there must be a lot of roots everywhere...

 

[Mrbrock]

Honestly, when looking at Google street view, the area where the transformer and the Tesla cabinets are located,
it seems that there are mostly bushes. But I could not see if there is also a tree stump hidden underneath.
The tree at the corner could be saved, however there must be a lot of roots everywhere...

View attachment 1054972

View attachment 1054974

Here is the demo plan for the site. 4 shrubs and 2 light poles to be removed. No mention of trees.

 

[DoItDiff]

The plans indicate that the transformer will be about where that plastic sheeting is on the ground.

There is trenching in progress down Garland Ave. towards the Supercharger site. I think the transformer is delayed at this site, like at some other sites, not due to transformer availability per se, but by the work needed to get power to the transformer.

 

[Mrbrock]

The plans indicate that the transformer will be about where that plastic sheeting is on the ground.
View attachment 1055351View attachment 1055352
There is trenching in progress down Garland Ave. towards the Supercharger site. I think the transformer is delayed at this site, like at some other sites, not due to transformer availability per se, but by the work needed to get power to the transformer.
View attachment 1055353View attachment 1055357

I don’t think any of the earlier and current trenching work is PGE. There is a pole right there they should be able to pull power from. @1100MCM are you able to see if they are pulling from that pole or elsewhere underground?

 

[YRide]

I don’t think any of the earlier and current trenching work is PGE. There is a pole right there they should be able to pull power from. @1100MCM are you able to see if they are pulling from that pole or elsewhere underground?

PGE was doing major work along Race street for several weeks (pretty sure > 1mo) from intersection of Alameda/Race to right next to the SC location. Could be coincidental, but…

 

[1100MCM]

I don’t think any of the earlier and current trenching work is PGE. There is a pole right there they should be able to pull power from. @1100MCM are you able to see if they are pulling from that pole or elsewhere underground?

They’re not pulling power from that pole or line on Race St.: it’s 4 kV so you’d need really big wire to handle it. They are actually trenching under Garland all the way back to Keeble and then coming up the pole there since that line is 12 kV.

 

[DoItDiff]

The Electrical Site Plan indicates that PG&E will provide a "Pull Box" adjacent to the sidewalk near the accessible charge posts. The plan shows the line to the transformer running from that pull box, behind the bus-stop shelter to a point beyond the Tesla cabinets, then turning a corner to reach the transformer. From my walking around yesterday, I think that pull box (either underground or above-ground) is not yet installed.

 

[Mrbrock]

I wasn’t sure if it was coming from the pole because the line on he plans disappears about where the pole would be. At least that’s what I remember thinking when I looked at the plans. As always, people smarter than me have provided more accurate information!

 

[YRide]

They’re not pulling power from that pole or line on Race St.: it’s 4 kV so you’d need really big wire to handle it. They are actually trenching under Garland all the way back to Keeble and then coming up the pole there since that line is 12 kV.

Definitely saw PGE doing active trenching on Garland today.

Still wonder what the Race street trenching was for during the two Months leading up to the Tesla equipment install? The Race St with was done by precision drilling company that is the primary contractor on the Tesla permits.

 

[Mrbrock]

Definitely saw PGE doing active trenching on Garland today.

Still wonder what the Race street trenching was for during the two Months leading up to the Tesla equipment install? The Race St with was done by precision drilling company that is the primary contractor on the Tesla permits.

Probably prep work for this. From the pull box location to the Tesla/transofrmer equipment pad or something like that.

 

[YRide]

Probably prep work for this. From the pull box location to the Tesla/transofrmer equipment pad or something like that.

It was the entire length of Race from Alameda to where I suspect the pull box is going, so I think there is something bigger then just this going on.