Coalition supports SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink transmission line
By: North County Times wire services | ∞
SAN DIEGO - A newly formed coalition of California business and labor groups is backing San Diego Gas & Electric's proposed 120-mile Sunrise Powerlink electric transmission line, it was announced Wednesday.
Associated Business & Labor for Energy, or ABLE for short, includes SDG&E, the California Chamber of Commerce, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and California Solar Energy Industries Association, among others.
ABLE is touting the Sunrise Powerlink project, which would be capable of delivering enough power for 650,000 homes, for its renewable energy component.
The transmission line would connect San Diego to facilities being built in the Imperial Valley, including a new solar plant planned by Stirling Energy Systems, which would produce up to 900 megawatts of energy.
"The proposed Stirling project, and other renewable energy resources like it, will help secure a clean-energy future for California," said Bill Keese, past chairman of the California Energy Commission and an ABLE member. "But we must have new transmission lines, like the Sunrise Powerlink, to ensure this renewable energy can be delivered to customers."
The group said the proposed line would benefit all California energy consumers because the state's power grid is interconnected and it would help reach a 20 percent goal for renewable energy.
"The support of ABLE will help raise the awareness of the importance of this vital project to strengthen California's power grid and meet the growing energy demands of Southern California," said Jim Avery, SDG&E's senior vice president of electric.
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Thomas wrote on Apr 6, 2006 2:37 PM:900MW's of power from a solar plant is a HUGE amount of renewable energy. The current transmission system from Imperial Valley would not be able to transport that much energy into San Diego as it currently is. It would be irresponsible of the residents of San Diego county to continue opposition of this new line.
FOOLISH SDGE BACKERS wrote on Apr 6, 2006 9:25 PM:We have enough ROOFTOPS, PARKING STRUCTURES, CITY BUILDINGS ETC... already in San Diego county to place SOLAR to provide SOLAR power without this hazardous transmission line!!! How foolish and irresponsible to NOT oppose greedy monopoly of SDGE. Citizens deserve energy INDEPENDENCE from SDGE. This is a bunch of crap to line pockets of SDGE. Developer subsidizing bull.
Denise wrote on Apr 6, 2006 10:26 PM:Unfortunately, the Stirling solar plant uses experimental technology that the California Energy Commission has said will not be ready before 2017. So what would the Sunrise Powerlink transport in the meantime, bearing in mind that SDG&E wants the line in service by 2010.
Dave wrote on Apr 7, 2006 9:25 AM:The real fools are those who bought land along an SDG&E easement and are shocked to see them use it.
H wrote on Apr 7, 2006 11:32 AM:In addition to Dave's comment: It's like those of you who buy a home near an airport and then say its too loud! Deal with it or move. Bottom line is we need this.
fred wrote on Apr 7, 2006 3:57 PM: "We" don't need it "they" need it to expand their customer base. If all new development had self producing electrical potential "nobody" would need it.
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