This is a view of the Matador Substation when it was destroyed by a tornado in June 2023.
The new Matador Substation took on the distribution load on December 9, 2024.
Thanks to AEP Texas’s quick response, the Matador Substation is back online and serving the community.
In June 2023, a powerful tornado destroyed the Matador Substation, leaving the community of Matador reliant on temporary power solutions.
In response, AEP Texas began the ambitious project to rebuild the substation and restore reliable electricity to the area. The project was funded through capital resources and was completed in late November 2024.
The new substation was designed using AEP's new innovative standard. This reduces costs, shortens timelines, and optimizes the station's footprint. Matador is only the third station in the AEP network to use this design.
In addition to the substation, AEP Texas completed other infrastructure improvements, including a distribution line upgrade through downtown Matador. The upgrades replaced old wooden poles with taller fiberglass poles and larger aluminum conductors, strengthening the resilience of the local grid.
Future plans include ongoing pole inspections and replacements and a multi-year project to upgrade electrical lines from Matador to Turkey, Texas.