Indio Breaks Ground on Major Power Grid Expansion to Serve Growing City

The City of Indio and Imperial Irrigation District have broken ground on the first of four electrical infrastructure projects designed to keep pace with the city's growth. Together, the projects will add enough capacity to power 16,000 homes.

The work is the first major effort from the Indio Electric Financing Authority, a joint entity created by the city and IID in 2023 to address rising electricity demand. Two new substations will be built at Avenue 40 and Northgate, with expansions planned at the existing Avenue 42 and Carreon substations.

The projects are funded through a surcharge on IID bills for customers within city limits—about $11.40 per month for the average household. All collected funds stay in Indio and go exclusively toward electrical infrastructure.

"Electrical infrastructure is the backbone," said Bryan Montgomery, Indio's city manager. "IID and the City of Indio are partnering to make sure that backbone is strong and providing that growth and opportunity for existing residents as well as for the future."

The upgrades are intended to protect current service reliability while building out capacity for continued development.