Oftentimes in the civic arena, a vocal minority can drown out the silent majority. Common sense becomes the first casualty.

Take the Sunrise Powerlink, San Diego Gas & Electric Co.'s proposed transmission line that would bring reliable and renewable energy from the Imperial Valley to San Diego County. Common sense tells us this project is needed. The region is experiencing steady population growth, much of it in North County. Our energy demands are growing in proportion. It is imperative that we have reliable sources of energy to ensure the quality of life for the people that will be living here.

The California Public Utilities Commission has released an environmental study on the Sunrise Powerlink and other alternative energy projects. The study said that building fossil-fueled power plants in San Diego County was an "environmentally superior" option to the Sunrise Powerlink.

While power plants are a critical part of San Diego's energy future, our region has done enough to accommodate these facilities. We now need a major new transmission line to deliver clean energy to San Diego. The Sunrise Powerlink would bring 1,000 megawatts of energy from the sun and the wind from the Imperial Valley to San Diego. The energy is readily available.

The CPUC's recommendation conflicts with a state mandate for utilities to provide 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2010. It is the CPUC's responsibility to implement that mandate.

The California Energy Commission says the Sunrise Powerlink is San Diego County's best bet for making sure we have the energy we need. The CEC is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency. It is responsible for forecasting future energy needs and developing energy technologies and supporting renewable energy. It makes sense to listen to the CEC.

The California Independent System Operator says the Sunrise Powerlink should be approved. The ISO is the manager of the state's power grid. The ISO is the impartial link between power plants and the utilities that serve more than 30 million consumers. It makes sense to listen to the ISO.

The federal Department of Energy has done a study showing that the San Diego region is in critical need of more transmission lines. The DOE's primary mission is to promote America's energy security through reliable, clean and affordable energy. It makes sense to listen to the DOE.

The Sunrise Powerlink is also supported by more than 60 local elected officials and more than 2,000 businesses, organizations and individuals.

The Public Utilities Commission will make a decision on the Sunrise Powerlink project later this year. It will hold a public hearing in downtown San Diego on Monday and future hearings in Ramona, Borrego Springs and Pine It is important to attend these hearings and let the PUC know that the vocal minority does not speak for all of us.

Mickey Cafagna is mayor of Poway and Jim Desmond is mayor of San Marcos.