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Protesters, supporters weigh in on Sunrise Powerlink
By: GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer | ∞
Denis Trafecanty, middle, of Santa Ysabel and others protest against the proposed Sunrise powerlink Monday morning before the California Public Utilities Commission's hearing on the subject held at the County Administration Building in San Diego.
JAMIE SCOTT LYTLE Staff Photographer
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SAN DIEGO -- The state's public utilities commission opened an intensive three weeks of public hearings Monday on San Diego Gas & Electric Co.'s controversial $1.3 billion proposal to build high-power lines across the county with five hours of testimony at the county administration center.
The company has been pushing for new lines, called the Sunrise Powerlink since 2005, saying they are needed to keep up with the county's growing electrical demand, prevent the region from suffering summer blackouts and to bring state-mandated "green" solar- and wind-created electricity to the region.
Critics say the up-to 150-foot-tall power lines are not needed and that alternative projects could sustain the region. They also say the lines that would stretch from El Centro to San Diego County are profit-driven and would scar the Anza Borrego desert and backcountry San Diego County communities they would run through.
In Monday's afternoon session, San Diego Gas & Electric officials, prodded by aggressive questions from a consumer watchdog group, said they could actually deliver some of the green energy on existing power lines without building the Sunrise Powerlink.
However, at a break in the meeting, company officials said those existing power lines could only carry a small portion of that green energy; that the powerlink was needed to deliver the 1,000 megawatts they expect to buy; and that they would prove that assertion in coming weeks of testimony.
The hearings could be crucial in the commission's decision whether to approve the project. That decision is scheduled for January.
The commission is the state agency that regulates public utilities. The 16 days of meetings, which are being presided over by Administrative Law Judge Steven Weissman and utilities commissioner Dian Grueneich, will not take public testimony, but instead will focus on the testimony of "expert" groups.
Monday's event began and ended with critics attacking the project.
Before the meeting, about 40 people who don't want the power lines to run through their communities because they say it would destroy the backcountry's beauty and create fire risks staged a protest, carrying signs with such slogans as, "Just because Sempra wants Sunrise doesn't make it the right solution." Sempra is San Diego Gas & Electric's parent company.
The hearings ended, meanwhile, with San Diego Gas & Electric Vice President Jim Avery being cross-examined by consumer advocates about whether ratepayers would have to pay for the $1.3 billion project's cost overruns, and whether the lines were really needed.
As it has in the past, San Diego Gas & Electric officials said that the powerlink is the best way make sure the region has enough electricity to sustain its still-growing 3 million population.
The project would stretch 500 kilovolt lines on steel towers up to 150 feet high from Imperial Valley through Anza-Borrego State Park, Ranchita, Santa Ysabel, Ramona, Rancho Penasquitos and Carmel Valley.
Mike Nigley, chief operating officer for Sempra Energy Utilities ---- San Diego Gas & Electric's parent company ---- said that the region was at an energy crossroads and should approve the powerlink. He said San Diego's population and economy had just one 500 kilovolt transmission line, while Phoenix had seven.
But critics repeated claims that the powerlink was unnecessary and simply a profit-grab by Sempra and San Diego Gas & Electric that would scar the environment and local communities.
Michael Shames of San Diego's Utility Consumers Action Network said he believed San Diego Gas & Electric could deliver most of the renewable energy it wants on its existing power lines.
"This commission," Shames said, "is really going to have to grapple with the question, 'Is this transmission line truly an essential, life-blood artery for the economy? Or is it really just a monument to greed that will be standing through the desert and through the backcountry for generations?'"
Other groups that testified Monday included the California Independent System Operator, the commission's Division of Ratepayer Advocates; the Imperial Irrigation District; the state parks foundation; the California Farm Bureau; the Center for Biological Diversity; Ramona's Mussey Grade Road Alliance and Rancho Penasquitos Concerned Citizens.
Before the meeting, protesters said they were rallying in the hope of spreading opposition to the project.
Warner Springs resident Michael Pinto said that Sempra ---- which paid $377 million to settle California and Nevada lawsuits that accused it of conspiring to limit power supplies and drive up costs in California's 2001 energy crisis ---- was creating a new crisis to justify the new power lines.
"They're trying to create a false sense of need and urgency," he said. "They're just doing it all over again, and saying to the citizens, 'Hey, we're in a crisis and we need to hurry up and bring in this long line of power.'"
But others said many support the project.
Greg Parks of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, representing the Community Alliance for the Sunrise Powerlink, said, "There are well over 50 elected officials, and about 50 to 60 business and labor organizations lined up behind this project. We think it's really important to have clean, reliable and affordable energy in this region."
The hearings continue today at the county administration center at 10 a.m.
-- Contact staff writer Gig Conaughton at (760) 739-6696 or gconaughton@nctimes.com.
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Heavy wrote on Jul 9, 2007 11:49 PM:The Electrical service is behind schedule by about forty years plus. Do this now, or get out your oil and coal lamps. Grow Up this is the 21st Century.
Ron wrote on Jul 10, 2007 3:40 AM:LOL.. Check out the clown in the picture with the Che Guevara t-shirt. For those who don't know, El Che or just Che, was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, and Guevara joined Fidel Castro's revolutionary 26th of July Movement, which seized power in Cuba in 1959. After serving in various important posts in the new government and writing a number of articles and books on the theory and practice of guerrilla warfare, Guevara left Cuba in 1965 with the intention of fomenting revolutions first in Congo-Kinshasa, and then in Bolivia, where he was captured in a military operation. Guevara was executed by the Bolivian Army as a war criminal. Environmentalism is the new home to all the Marxist/Communist's. And please notice in this article how the term "profit" is used by many as an "evil" term. Of course, Sempra intends to make a profit by upgrading the power lines, it's upgrading the service. Duh?
Concerned-1 wrote on Jul 10, 2007 8:24 AM:I agree with Ron. Protesters like this do their cause more harm than good. I'm not sure where I stand on this issue, but pictures of these protesters help sway the argument for me. Knee jerk environmentalists (as apposed to those who really care and do their homework) will be the end of us!
Handel wrote on Jul 10, 2007 9:50 AM:You only need look at the explosive growth in San Diego, the lack of other transmission into the region, and extreme unlikelihood of big power projects being located in heavily populated San Diego county to understand why we must have additional transmission, as much as we all hate power lines. It is just like you need to expand I-15 when you build new housing developments in North County. And persih the thought that the road contractor should demand a "profit" -- what a greedy capitalist! Where does he think he is? America? Thoughtful debate is important. However, reckless claims of "greed" don't help as the level of profit is set by regulators. Companies need to pay their taxes, pay their employees and participate in society before they make profits. Making profits is what keeps your local bookstore, ice cream store, car dealership, burger joint, and yes, even the NC Times in business.
Insterstate 8? wrote on Jul 10, 2007 11:09 AM:Why can't this route follow I-8 more so and come into the county that way? Then it would be more economical to access via service roads with most of the distance traveled for servicing via freeway. Instead of clogging the outback even more with large trucks that go slow.
Support need, but not location wrote on Jul 10, 2007 11:50 AM:This area needs the improved linkage to other power supplies. I wish that those protesting would get past that, and work with Sempra to find alternative routes for the power lines. I'm with I-8; why can't that be done instead of a route through the wilderness?
MD 20/20 wrote on Jul 10, 2007 1:10 PM:Let use wooden poles for the transmission lines. Tree huggers will like that one. Maybe they'll get off our backs we need the Juice. If the glove doesn't fit force it!!!
KB off the grid wrote on Jul 10, 2007 1:29 PM:Protesters: so put a solar panel where your posters are. Peace!
John E wrote on Jul 10, 2007 2:32 PM:This is not about solar versus carbon-based electricity; we need BOTH. As for the precise route, I, too, would like to know more about using the I-8 right-of-way, which appears to this naive observer to be a win-win.
KB off the grid wrote on Jul 10, 2007 3:21 PM:a solar panel where energy is used means transmission lines are not needed to bring that energy in to where the energy is used.
slappy wrote on Jul 10, 2007 3:38 PM:The I-8 corridor which runs (south west) already has the southwest powerlink 500 kv that we get from the palos verdes nuke plant and we also get power from the Mexican plant at La Roseda. that area is Maxed out we now need the power to come in from the north east so in order for the power to get to the east west corridor in must first go north south that is why the I 8 corridor is not an option
slappy wrote on Jul 10, 2007 3:47 PM:Why dont we build a nice new nuke plant in Otay Mesa/south Bay 500 megawats and no carbon dioxide and existing transmission lines to use. now thats a win win.
tree hugger at heart wrote on Jul 10, 2007 8:02 PM:What are we doing here? I've tried to stay up on this and the only thing I hear about is the local communities or people repeat over and over that don't want the power line in their backyard or people complaining that we don't need it. Now I hear let's relocate it... Man can't we figure this thing out without the stinking smoke screens! We want renewable power, solar and geothermal don't we! So build it with the least environmental impact NOW!
Slow down wrote on Jul 10, 2007 9:16 PM:No more water to bring here - but we need power? For what? More houses, more people? We are about to hit the wall on population growth because we cannot keep growing in a desert with no H2O. It's a fact Jack! The next 50 years are not going to be boom years - so let's fix the solar to the rooftops we have here now and shine onthe power lines.
Denis wrote on Jul 14, 2007 1:17 PM:Ladies and Gentlemen, if you really want to learn more about this Proposed Transmission Line, just go to UCAN. I have been to the hearings in San Diego this week, and the arguments are convincing that the 150 mile T-line that will be paid for by you and me is not needed at all. SDGE hoodwinked us in the early 2000's with dishonesty, price gouging and blackouts. Don't let them do it again. I am a local business owner, and I am opposed to this T-line.
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