BUSD to work with San Diego Gas & Electric on transformer

The possibility of authorizing San Diego Gas & Electric to remove a transformer on a pole along Camino Del Rey on the north side of the Bonsall Elementary School campus will be the subject of discussion between Bonsall Unified School District (BUSD) staff and SDG&E staff.

A proposal to authorize the removal of the transformer was discussed at the May 15 BUSD board meeting, but the board opted to take no action while directing BUSD facilities director David Medcalf to continue discussions with SDG&E.

“We’re still working with SDG&E on that,” said Justin Cunningham, who was the BUSD superintendent before retiring July 31.

The transformer provides potential electrical service of 200 amperes or less.

“That’s in relation to getting power to the old schoolhouse,” Cunningham said.

In February 2016, SDG&E notified the school district that the transformer had not been in use for more than a year and was scheduled for removal. School district staff responded that there were plans to request electric service within the next year.

“The transformer is no longer in use, but we might need that transformer for power to the old schoolhouse,” Cunningham said.

No request had been made by March 2017, so SDG&E once again proposed removing the transformer. If the transformer is removed and the schoolhouse needs electrical power at a later date, the estimated cost to reinstall the transformer is between $10,000 and $20,000. If the transformer is kept in place, a work order must be submitted to SDG&E and coordinated with a project planner to install a panel service of no more than 200 amps.