KXO RADIO - County Board of Supervisors support Project, but not route

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Written by George Gale
Tuesday, 08 April 2008
(The route the County Board of Supervisors chooses to support is….neither one)….At their Tuesday morning Board meeting, the County Supervisors decided not to take a stand in favor of either route proposed for the Sunrise Powerlink Project. Instead, the Supervisors agreed to submit comments to the California Public Utility Commission supporting the construction of new transmission for the purpose of exporting renewable energy, without a preference as to the route. The action includes a letter to the California Independent System Operator informing them the Niland area was not a constrained area. The CAISO has petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to declare Niland a constrained area. That would allow them to explore exporting renewable energy from the area, by-passing the Imperial Irrigation District’s system delivery. San Diego Gas and Electric is seeking permits from the C P U C to construct the $1.5 billion Sunrise Powerlink that would take renewable energy from Imperial County to San Diego. The Imperial Irrigation District supports the project, but not the route preferred by S D G & E. San Diego wants to construct a transmission line through a Northern Route. The IID claims that would encroach on Ag land, Dairies, the District’s own water delivery system, and most of all, it would make it easier to by-pass the IID delivery system. The District prefers a Southern route for the transmission lines. Tuesday, a majority of the Supervisors agreed both proposals face uphill battles from environmentalists, Native American tribes and many others. On a 4-1 vote, the Supervisors said it was more important to get the project approved, and a decision on a route could come later in the process. Supervisor Joe Maruca was the sole no vote. Maruca said it was a slap in the face for the County not to back the IID.