New Edison Training Center Coming to Corona

Southern California Edison’s new state-of-the-art training facility will increase crew safety while providing more real-life experience.
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Stories : The Grid
Stories : The Grid

New Edison Training Center Coming to Corona

Southern California Edison’s new state-of-the-art training facility will increase crew safety while providing more real-life experience.
Taylor Hillo
Taylor Hillo
ENERGIZED by Edison Writer
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of RIM Architects and Taylor Hillo
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In roughly five years, what's now 20 acres of dirt in the city of Corona will become the Edison Training Academy — a 200,000-square-foot training center for Southern California Edison team members.

SCE Electrical Systems and Power Training Manager, Dean Lewis — known as the “Trailer King" to his colleagues — says this is a much-needed upgrade. The nickname stems from his team’s reliance on modular trailers as classrooms for trainees.

“I have team members who train regularly out of Alhambra, Chino, Rancho Vista substation and Daggett, and in three of those locations we’re in temporary trailers," Lewis said. “They're not meant for long-term use."
The development will include solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, all-electric buildings and drought-tolerant landscaping to minimize SCE's carbon footprint.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of RIM Architects

At the existing main hub in Chino, the oldest trailer is nearly 12 years old. And while the team still feels they have been able to deliver quality training, they’re excited for a modern facility that can keep up with changing grid technology in real-time. Back when the current sites were developed, things like wildfire mitigation weren’t a factor, solar power wasn’t as common. The electric grid was less complex.

As electricity demands and the environment changes, new equipment is constantly being added that helps improve reliability, reduces power outage durations and increases safety.

“Technology is advancing faster than it ever has, so we need to be able to train on the proper equipment and use the latest materials," Lewis said. “This facility will allow us to do that, and also centralize all training — with more cross-training abilities, collaboration and it's easier on the students and the staff to have it all in one location."
SCE recently broke ground on the Edison Training Academy which will train hundreds of crew members on evolving technology and prepare them for the future needs of the grid.
PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Hillo
The state-of-the-art facility will function as a “living laboratory" featuring actual electrical equipment to train hundreds of apprentices and team members each year — in the classroom and in mock field setups — on linework, substation maintenance, undergrounding, planning, meter work, truck driving and more.

Built in phases, the project includes classrooms, mock substations, a driving school and a simulated community called “Edison Way" with overhead and underground power lines. The first portion — which includes the driving school — is set to be completed by 2026.

With the addition of the Edison Way neighborhood, students will be able to perform realistic training scenarios on replicated residential and commercial buildings, something they currently are unable to do.

“This project allows us to train our teams as realistically as possible to do the work, and how to do it safely," said Virginia Loufek, SCE senior project manager of Facilities Construction. “We're really excited about what this holds for our future, including using new technology, like augmented and virtual reality."
The 200,000-square-foot training center will sit on 20 acres in the city of Corona and is being built in phases, set to be completed by 2029.
The 200,000-square-foot training center will sit on 20 acres in the city of Corona and is being built in phases, set to be completed by 2029.
PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Hillo

The new design was created with a future-focused vision, one that not only prepares the workforce for the technologies of tomorrow but also does so sustainably.

As a zero net energy build, the development will help minimize SCE’s carbon footprint — supporting the state’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 — with features like solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, all-electric buildings and drought-tolerant landscaping.

By 2029, the project should be complete. The temporary trailers will become a relic of the past, and team members will be onsite every day, learning the best techniques to safely build and operate the grid of the future.

For more information on SCE's clean energy goals, visit edison.com/clean-energy.

Tags: Edison Training Academy, modernize the grid, SCE lineworkers