Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the permitting, environmental review, and construction of the Antelope Transmission Project, Segments 2 and 3. This Project (Segments 2 and 3 collectively) includes a series of 220-kilovolt (kV) and 500-kV transmission line upgrades between Vincent Substation in Los Angeles County and the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area in southern Kern County, as well as two new substation facilities in Kern County. Southern California Edison (SCE) submitted an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Antelope Transmission Project, Segments 2 and 3, to the CPUC on December 9, 2004. The Project was subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the permitting, CEQA review, and construction of the Antelope Transmission Project.

The Antelope Transmission Project, Segments 2 and 3, was permitted and constructed in conjunction with the Antelope-Pardee 500 kV Transmission Line Project (Segment 1) and Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (Segments 4-11). Information regarding these projects is available at the following links:

• http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/aspen/antelopepardee/antelopepardee.htm
• ftp://ftp.cpuc.ca.gov/gopher-data/environ/tehachapi_renewables/TRTP.htm
  

PROJECT STATUS

The Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) was certified and a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) was granted by CPUC (Docket #A.04-12-008, SCH #2006041160) on March 15, 2007. Construction of Segments 2 and 3 occurred between October 2008 and December 2012.

Pre-Construction Compliance

Notices to Proceed (NTPs) were issued by CPUC by subsection of the project as requested by SCE. A summary of NTPs issued for the Antelope Transmission Project is provided in Table 1 below, as well as any NTP modifications/addendums and Final Engineering Concurrences (FECs). Issuance of NTPs was contingent upon SCE's compliance with pre-construction requirements as specified by the approved mitigation measures and responsible agency permitting requirements.

Other responsible agency permits required for construction, and their amendments, are listed here. Major compliance plans requiring CPUC and/or permit agency review and approval included the following.

• Sensitive Biological Habitat Survey Reports
• Bird Nesting Survey Reports
• Restoration Plans
• Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs)
• Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans (SPCCs)
• Fugitive Dust Control Plans
• Paleontological Resources Discovery and Management Plans
• Cultural Resources Treatment Plans
• Phase I and II Site Investigation Reports
• Waste Characterization and Management Plans
• Worker Environmental Awareness Program Plans
• Health and Safety Plans
• Construction Safety and Emergency Response Plans
• Fire Prevention Plans
• Construction Transportation/Traffic Plans

Construction Monitoring & Variance Review

CPUC Environmental Monitors monitored construction activities to ensure that construction was conducted in accordance with the approved mitigation measures and permit conditions. Weekly reports documenting construction and monitoring activities are posted here.

As final engineering was completed and as construction necessitated, Variance Requests were submitted for the Project. A summary of the Variance Requests is provided in Table 2 below. Each of these requests was reviewed by CPUC to ensure that no new impacts or increase in impact severity would result from the requested change.

BACKGROUND

Project Description

SCE had filed an application with the CPUC to construct the proposed Project, which consists of new transmission line infrastructure between SCE's existing Vincent Substation in Los Angeles County, California, and the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area in southern Kern County, California. The proposed Project would help to accommodate anticipated new wind generation in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area north of Antelope Substation. The 500-kV transmission lines would initially operate at 220 kV and would serve to reduce increasing loading on SCE's Antelope-Mesa 220-kV transmission line. Segments 2 and 3 of the Antelope Transmission Project are part of SCE's plans to interconnect and integrate potential wind energy projects to SCE's electrical system. Segment 2 has the potential added benefit of improving overall electric system reliability by increasing capacity between Antelope Substation and Vincent Substations.

The main project components are described below. Highwind Substation and Windhub Substation, in addition to the 9.6 miles of 220-kV transmission line facilities connecting them and the 25.6 miles of 500-kV transmission line facilities between Windhub Substation and Antelope Substation, are collectively referred to as Segment 3 of the Project. The 21.0 miles of 500-kV transmission line facilities and the 0.6 miles of 220-kV transmission line facilities between Antelope and Vincent Substations are referred to as Segment 2 of the Project. SCE constructed the following new transmission system components as part of the proposed Project:

• Highwind Substation, a 220/66-kV substation located near SCE's existing Monolith Substation, northwest of Cal Cement Substation in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area of southern Kern County (Segment 3).
  
  
• 9.6 miles of 220-kV transmission line between Highwind Substation and Windhub Substation (Segment 3).
  
  
• Windhub Substation, a 500/220/66-kV substation located southeast of Highwind Substation, near the Western Area Power Administration's existing Cal Cement Substation in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area of southern Kern County (Segment 3)
  
  
• 25.6 miles of 500-kV transmission line between Windhub Substation in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area and Antelope Substation in the City of Lancaster (Segment 3).
  
  
• Approximately 21.0 miles of 500-kV transmission line between Antelope Substation in the City of Lancaster and Vincent Substation, near the community of Acton in unincorporated Los Angeles County, as well as 0.6 miles of 220-kV transmission line connecting to Vincent Substation (Segment 2).

The Project does not traverse any Federal lands. Segment 3 was constructed in both Los Angeles and Kern Counties. Segment 2 was constructed completely within Los Angeles County and parallels existing SCE transmission line corridors for most of its length between SCE's existing Antelope and Vincent Substations. The 500-kV transmission lines were initially energized at 220-kV. The Project includes electrical interconnections at the existing Antelope Substation (Segments 2 and 3) and the existing Vincent Substation (Segment 2)

The following link provides a general Project map: Map 1 General Location (2.5MB)

Additional maps and figures for the proposed Project and alternatives are included in the link provided to the Final EIR (see below).

Final Environmental Impact Report

In accordance with CEQA, an Environmental Impact Report was prepared for the proposed Project. The Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) was certified and a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) was granted by CPUC (Docket #A.04-12-008, SCH #2006041160) on March 15, 2007.

The Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) was issued on December 26, 2006. The Final EIR consists of two volumes. Volume I is a re-printed version of the Draft EIR. Changes made to the Draft EIR in Volume I are identified as follows: inserted text is underlined and deleted text is shown in strikeout. Volume II consists of all comments received on the Draft EIR and responses to those comments.

The CPUC released the Draft EIR for the proposed Project on August 23, 2006. The public comment period for this document ended on October 16, 2006. All comments received on the Draft EIR were responded to in the Final EIR, Volume II, as discussed above. CEQA requires that the CPUC provide written responses to public agency comments at least 10 days prior to certifying an EIR (Public Resource Code 21092.5(a)). This was accomplished by sending the Final EIR to all agencies that commented.

Other Documents Available

CPUC Final Decision Granting a CPCN

Notice of Extension of the Draft EIR review period (October 4, 2006)

Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR (August 23, 2006)

Notice of Preparation of an EIR (April 27, 2006)

SCE's Proponent's Environmental Assessment (December 2004)

For Additional Information