(Los Angeles) Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced today that construction of the future Receiving Station-X (RS-X), which will enhance the reliability of electricity delivery at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), has been transferred to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for final completion.
Clark Construction performed design/pre-construction and construction services that were LAWA's responsibility as part of the RS-X project, which is located on airport property near the intersection of Pershing Drive and Westchester Parkway. That work, which began in November 2019, was completed on May 31, 2022.
"The safety, security and reliability of our airport is key for our guests and employees, and this includes ensuring we have reliable power at all times," said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. "This new power receiving station will greatly enhance those capabilities for LAX and our partners alike. We thank LADWP for its ongoing partnership and look forward to the agency commissioning this future airport resource."
“Our LAX-dedicated receiving station will improve power reliability and resiliency for LAX and the traveling public,” said Martin L. Adams, General Manager and Chief Engineer, LADWP. “Sustainability and innovation are key elements of this station and the station positions LADWP to better meet LAX's needs in the years to come."
The first phase of work began in November 2019, with LAWA staff, Clark Construction, Arup and LADWP collaboratively engaged in the design process to identify and analyze opportunities to maximize value while minimizing cost, comply with schedule, maintain quality and consider all operational impacts of the facility. This highly collaborative approach guided the design to a development of the best value for LAWA.
The second phase of the project started with work to clear the site and prepare for construction of the facilities. The site required significant excavation to lower the equipment respective to the surrounding area. This assured compliance with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety and height requirements and restrictions while providing minimal visibility of LADWP equipment to comply with the Northside Development Guidelines.
In addition to the new receiving station, design and installation of new 34.5-kV distribution feeder duct banks will connect to the existing distribution system on World Way West, supplying power across the airfield to the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and across Sepulveda Boulevard to the Automated People Mover (APM) train system now under construction and scheduled to open in 2023.
LAWA and LADWP approved a memorandum of understanding in May 2018 to jointly plan and develop the new receiving station to supply medium-voltage power on the LAX campus.
The RS-X facility will improve the power quality, reliability and resiliency for LAX, reducing service interruptions. In addition, the facility supports sustainability goals and has sufficient spare capacity to meet energy demand beyond 2028. The total budget for this project is approximately $140 million.
In 2019, LAX was the second-busiest airport in the U.S., and third in the world, serving 88.1 million passengers. Post-pandemic, the airport reported 48 million passengers for 2021, making it the fifth-busiest in the world. The airport has experienced intermittent power fluctuations and outages from existing LADWP facilities serving LAX and nearby neighborhoods. Once completed, this project will minimize and mitigate these disruptions.
