Jacob opposes high-voltage line through Julian and Ramona

By: QUINN EASTMAN - Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 14, 2005 1:01 AM PST ∞

JULIAN ---- Responding to the concerns of constituents in Ramona and Julian, county Supervisor Dianne Jacob has declared her opposition to one proposed route for a high-voltage power line from Imperial County into North County.

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. has proposed a new 500-kilovolt power line called the Sunrise Powerlink and is in the process of narrowing a short list of possible routes. A map unveiled by SDG&E in November shows three possible corridors stretching west from an existing substation in Imperial County south of Interstate 8.

One of the corridors travels along Highway 78 around Julian and extends west to a substation near Santa Ysabel. Two other routes are further north, connecting to a substation near Warner Springs east of Lake Henshaw.

On Tuesday, Jacob said in a phone interview, "I am adamantly opposed to the power line going through the Julian area. It should be as far north as possible."

Jacob declined to specify which route she thought was preferable, saying only that "it's somebody else's turn" to host a line. A high-voltage line already runs close to Interstate 8 through her East County district.

SDG&E's plans call for a 230-kilovolt power line to continue west from a proposed 80-acre substation to its existing Penasquitos substation in Sorrento Valley. However, specific routes or sites within the several-mile-wide corridor through Ramona or Poway have not been identified. The company plans to apply to the state Public Utilities Commission with proposed routes in the summer of 2006 and begin construction in 2007.

Jacob's comments came as SDG&E representatives were preparing for a Tuesday night public workshop at Julian Town Hall, held at the request of community activists. Julian Energy Group spokeswoman Jeanette Hartman said that Julian residents would fight to preserve the scenic landscape around the historical, tourism-oriented town. About 50 people attended the meeting.

SDG&E is in the process of hearing from community groups and residents along all three corridors, company spokesman Ed Van Herik said.

"We do have an extensive public outreach effort," he said. "We welcome all public input."

The utility giant has already held eight community meetings on the project this fall, and an additional round of public meetings is planned in the spring of 2006 as SDG&E continues to narrow its choices.

Jacob also questioned SDG&E's declared need for the power line.

"The first question is: Is there a need for additional capacity to serve San Diegans?" she said.

Groups such as Utility Consumers Action Network have suggested that the Sunrise Powerlink is not absolutely necessary and is meant to access power plants in Mexico.

The company's executives, however, say the new power line is necessary because demand for electricity in the county by 2010 will exceed what can be produced locally or brought in on existing transmission lines. They also say it would allow SDG&E to tap solar power sources being built in Arizona to meet a state-mandated target to have 20 percent of its energy coming from renewable sources.

The main 500-kilovolt lines through East County could be 160 feet high and 200 feet wide and the 230 kilovolt lines through North County up to 130 feet high and 100 feet wide, the company has said.

The three proposed corridors follow existing lower-voltage power lines or roads. State parks officials have said they're discussing routes that would minimize the power line's impact on sensitive habitats in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Supervisor Bill Horn, who represents the north edge of San Diego County, chuckled in response to Jacob's statement that the lines should run "as far north as possible," which would mean they would likely run through his district. Horn said the southern routes looked more direct. However, he reserved judgment on the proposed routes through part of his district.

"SDG&E has their work cut out for them," he said by phone. "They're going to have to work with the communities for a while."

More information about the transmission line proposal is available at www.sdge.com/sunrisepowerlink/.

Contact staff writer Quinn Eastman at (760) 740-5412 or qeastman@nctimes.com.