Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/16/2007, COMMUNICATION #1 - COMMUNICATION ITEM - CITY COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 16, 2007 r Council Memorandum City of San Luis Obispo DATE: October 12, 2007 RECEIVED TO: City Council OCT 12 2007 FROM: Mayor Dave Romero SLO CITY CLERK SUBJECT: Communication Item—City Council Meeting October 16, 2007 As Mayor I have received information from Southern California Gas on the proposed Sunrise Powerlink project from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). The project is a $1.4 billion electrical transmission line that would enable SDG&E to import electricity from renewable energy sources within Imperial County to the San Diego Region. The California Public Utility Commission is scheduled to issue a final ruling on SDG&E's proposal in January. A description of the project, current supporters, an article from the San Diego Union-Tribune is attached. The Gas Company requests that the Council support the project. RED FILE coLNCiL coo DIR _ ME I G AGENDA ,FerCAO ✓Yj FIN DIR ZrACAOm'ATTORNEY ,Z FIRE CHIEF Wr%1 F� ITEM #�(b L PW DIR L CLERK/ORIG POLICE CHF ❑ 0 P7 EA©R PKRE0 DIR UTIL DIR HR DKR Mayor's Council Memo-Sunrise Powcrlink The Sunrise Powerlink is a new"energy superhighway" designed to improve energy reliability and meet the growing energy demands of the San Diego region. The 150-mile transmission line will deliver clean, renewable power from the Imperial Valley to San Diego, while helping to reduce energy costs. • Improved Reliability • Adds a critical new connection to import new electricity supplies that will help fill an energy reliability shortfall forecasted to begin in the year 2010. • The line will import 1,000 megawatts of u energy or enough power for about r77 650,000 homes. S • Improves overall reliability of the region's transmission system and adds protection against future transmission emergencies ~that can lead to blackouts. ,proposed Routes for Sunrise • . ■ Access to Clean, Renewable Energy • Provides access to clean, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal located in the Imperial Valley and eastern San Diego County and will be connected to what could become the largest solar energy facility in the world. • The line is needed to cost-effectively meet new state mandates that require utilities to have 20 percent of delivered energy come from renewable energy sources by the year 2010. Only about 6 percent of the electricity delivered by SDG&E currently is renewable or green energy. • Reduced Energy Costs The Sunrise Pawerlink will help save SDG&E ratepayers approximately $100 million per year by: • Reducing expensive transmission system congestion costs. • Expanding access to lower-priced power generated outside the region. • Reducing subsidies paid to local, aging power plants that are more expensive to operate. . • Since 2005, SDG&E has hosted more than 50 public meetings on the Sunrise Powerlink to gather input on routes and other key project issues. The California Public Utilities Commission will begin hearings on the project in 2007 and issue a decision in mid-2008. I � 1 sDCE SUNR,-lS�E." POWERLINKSM <( . ScmpiaEnrrgrwn,n ! Q Public Agencies & Elected Officials • Congressman Darrell Issa, California 49'h District City of Lemon Grove • Congressman Brian Bilbray, California 501h District - Mayor Mary Sessom, City of Lemon Grove • Senator Mark Wyland, State of California • Mayor Pro Tem Tom Clabby, City of Lemon Grove • Council Member Jerry Selby, City of Lemon Grove • Assembly Member Shirley Horton, State of California • Council Member Mary England, City of Lemon Grove • Assembly Member George Plescia, State of California City of EI Cajon • Assembly Member Martin Garrick, State of California • Assembly Member Mimi Walters, State of California • Mayor Mark Lewis, City of EI Cajon • Council Member Jillian Hanson-Cox, City of EI Cajon • Supervisor Ron Roberts, Chairman, • Council Member Bob McClellan, City of EI Cajon Sar+. Diego County • Council Member Gary Kendrick, City of EI Cajon • Supervisor Greg Cox, Vice Chairman, • Council Member Dick Ramos, City of EI Cajon San Diego County • Council Member Dave Allan, City of La Mesa • Orange County Board of Supervisors . Council Member John Mcann, City of Chula Vista • Mayor Jerry Sanders, City of San Diego • Deputy Mayor Rocky Chavez, City of Oceanside • Mayor Pro Tem Tony Young, City of San Diego . Council Member Jack Feller, City of Oceanside • Council Member Ben Hueso, City of San Diego • Council Member Jerome Kern, City of Oceanside • Council Member Jim Madaffer, City of San Diego • Council Member Kevin Faulconer, City of San Diego • Mayor James Bond, City of Encinitas • Council Member Dan Dalager, City of Encinitas • Bill Keese, past chairman, California Energy Commission • Mayor Jim Janney, City of Imperial Beach • Mayor Mickey Cafagna, City of Poway • Mayor Randy Voepel, City of Santee • Council Member Bob Emery, City of Poway . City of Dana Point City of Escondido • City of San Juan Capistrano • Mayor Lori Holt-Pfeiler, City of Escondido • Mayor Pro Tem Sam Abed, City of Escondido • City of San Clemente • Council Member Ed Gallo, City of Escondido • City of Laguna Niguel • Council Member Dick Daniels, City of Escondido • Council Member Marie Waldron. Citv of Escondido • Valley Center Municipal Water District City of Vista • Saddleback College • Mayor Morris Vance, City of Vista • Moulton Niguel Water • Council Member Judy Ritter, City of Vista • Council Member Bob Campbell, City of Vista City of San Marcos • Council Member Steve Gronke, City of Vista . Mayor Jim Desmond, City of San Marcos City of National City • Council Member Hal Martin, City of San Marcos • Council Member Rebecca Jones, City of San Marcos - Mayor Ron Morrison, City of National City • Council Member C is O lando, City of San Marcos • Council Member Frank Parra, City National City • Council Member Luis Natividad, City of National City • Council Member Rosalie Zarate, City of National City Pe ball IBitao Tr* butte. Essential power link Transmission line merits PUC approval an Diego County's de- The new transmission line would mand for electricity is provide increased flexibility to surging at about double counter an array of potential dis- the rate of population ruptions in the electricity supply. growth. Two primary U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel reasons for this are the prolifera- Bodman echoed this reality when tion of energy-consuming appli- he recently proposed designating antes, from wide-screen TVs to Southern California as a"national in- laptop computer chargers, and terest transmission corridor."Bod- robust housing development in in- man stressed that"grid moderniza- land areas where air conditioning tion is an urgent national problem. prompts a spike in summertime This system is aging and stressed. electricity use. It's no longer adequate to meet the To keep ahead of this demand needs of the 21st century," and avert potential brownout.dur- Despite the clear long-term ing times of peak consumption-San need for increased transmission Diego Gas & Electric is boosting capacity in San Diego and the rest its local power generation and also of Southern California,SDG&E's seeking to build a u-ansmission line proposal has encountered ample to tap renewable energy sources in opposition, most of it focused on Imperial County.The new$1.4 bil- the environmental impact of the lion electric corridor would enable new power line.The utility's pre- SDG&E to import solar,wind and ferred route for the 150-mile link geothermal power from the lmpe- would stretch from south of the rial Valley,which is one of the most Salton Sea through the Anza-Bor- promising sites for renewable en- repo Desert State Park and then ergy production in the country east of Ramona until reaching the One California law requires utili- coast by way of Scripps Ranch and ties to derive fully one-fifth of their Rancho Penasquitos. electricity from renewable sources No one wants a transmission.line by 2010. Mother California law anywhere near his back yard,but requires a drastic reduction in this route minimizes,the adverse greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 impacts as much as possible. For levels by 2020. For SDG&E, the example, the route through the proposed Sunrise Powerlink to the state park would track an existing eastern desert is the key to meet- power line;the new link would re- ing both of these mandates. main within the existing 100-foot- Even more important. the new wide utility right-of-way,only atop transmission line is needed. in higher transmission towers. In the view of the state's Indepen- addition,some of the most sensi- dent System Operator, to bolster tive portions of the line, including energy reliability,not only in San those in suburban North County. Diego but throughout Southern would be built underground. California.The ISO, whose prime The California Public Utilitv function is to ensure an uninter- Commission is scheduled to issue rupted flow of electricity through- a final ruling on SDG&E's pro- out the state,regards the SDG&E posal in January. To strengthen Powerlink as an essential step in electricity reliability in San Diego, strengthening Southern Califor- the PUC should give the go-ahead uia's overburdened power grid, to the Sunrise Powerlink. I The San Diego Union-Tribune• Sunday,June 24,2007 Californians for Clean and Reliable Energy You may use my organization's name as a public supporter of the Sunrise Powerlink Signature (Required) Date Please select a category: ❑ Organization/Trade Association ❑ Company ❑ Elected Official/Civic Leader Please complete the following information: Company or Organization Name Contact Name Title. Mailing Address City State Zip Phone Number Fax Number E-mail Address We can help in the following ways: ❑ Testify in support at public hearings ❑ Write a letter-to-the-editor or submit a guest commentary to local papers ❑ Place an article in our organization's publication ❑ Communicate with employees/vendors/memhers ❑ Post a link on our Web site D Write a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission ❑ Write letters to my state legislators Please fax this completed form to: 916-554-3434 You may also sign up online at www.CleanReliableEnerQ/.org PO Box 2980,Sacramento,CA 95812 1 ph 866.820.6494 1 fax 916.554.3434 www.CleanReliableEnergy.org