IID and the City of Calexico celebrate the completion of the Gateway Substation upgrade. From left: City of Calexico Mayor Pro Tem Lorenzo Calderon, Calexico Mayor Victor Legaspi, IID Director Lewis Pacheco, IID General Manager Jamie Asbury, IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio, Calexico City Manager Benjamin Martinez, and former IID Director John Pierre Menvielle.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) today celebrated the completion of one of its latest power infrastructure projects, upgrading a major substation to serve increasing power needs in the Calexico area.

The District’s $4.9 million Gateway Substation expansion project, located in an industrial park just east of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s East Port of Entry, has been upgraded to deliver enough power to energize approximately 4,000 more residential homes.

“This investment reflects our commitment to thoughtful, long-term planning,” said IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio during today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion and energization of the project.  “By strengthening critical infrastructure here in Calexico, we are ensuring reliable service for our customers today while improving system reliability and hardening our electric grid for the years ahead.”

The Gateway Substation upgrade is one of several hundred infrastructure development projects in the District’s Powering our Community Together initiative, enhancing power operations to meet demand, improve service, and protect the resources we all depend on.

Director Lewis Pacheco, who represents Division 4, highlighted the project’s local impact. “This upgrade positions Calexico for future development and provides the capacity needed to support new businesses, industries, and residents,” Pacheco said. “Reliable power is essential to our community, and this project helps ensure greater reliability and a stronger, more resilient energy system.”

Completed in late 2025 and fully integrated into service earlier this year, the project adds a second bank of circuit feeders and a new high-capacity transformer, significantly expanding the substation’s ability to meet growing electrical demand while adding capacity, improving reliability, and strengthening grid resiliency.

The work was conducted within the existing facility footprint and included installation of new transformers, distribution feeders, breakers, and modern protection systems. IID crews led the engineering and construction work.

With the upgrades, the Gateway Substation can support the power needs of approximately 4,000 more residential homes and future industrial growth, while improving the reliability and operational flexibility of the electric grid.