STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Southern California Edison's
Ivanpah-Control Project

Application A.19-07-015, filed July 17, 2019

Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review of Southern California Edison's (SCE's) Ivanpah-Control Project (I-C Project). The project is located in incorporated and unincorporated portions of Inyo, Kern, and San Bernardino, Counties, California; a map is provided here. SCE submitted a Permit to Construct (PTC) application for the Project to the CPUC on July 17, 2019 (Application A.19-07-015), and submitted an Amended Application (51 MB) on April 13, 2020.

The Proposed Project will be reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be preparing a separate environmental document as the NEPA lead agency.

This website provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA environmental review processes. An overview of the proposed Project is provided below.

For additional information on the CPUC proceeding, contact the Public Advisor's Office.

PROJECT SCOPING: Closed after September 30, 2020

The public scoping period has closed. The Scoping Report summarizes all comments received, and has the following appendices:

Appendix A: EIR Notices
Appendix B: Scoping Meeting Comments
Appendix C: Scoping Comment Letters (11 MB)

Project Information

The following information was made available during the Scoping Meetings (September 3 and 10, 2020):

1. PowerPoint presentation explaining the Ivanpah-Control Project, the CEQA Schedule, and the scoping process
   
   
2. Ivanpah-Control Project Fact Sheet
   
   
3. Detailed Project Maps by Segment:
   1. Segment 1: Control Substation (Bishop) to Inyokern Substation (8 MB)
   2. Segment 2: Inyokern Substation to Kramer Substation
   3. Segment 3N: Kramer Substation to Coolwater Substation (Daggett)
   4. Segment 3S: Kramer Substation to Tortilla Substation (Barstow) to Coolwater Substation (Daggett)
   5. Segment 4: Coolwater Substation to Ivanpah Substation (7 MB)

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT

According to SCE, the Project is needed in order to meet the transmission line safety and reliability requirements defined by the CPUC and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. The Project would involve the demolition and replacement of some or all of SCE's existing 115 kV transmission lines between the Ivanpah and Control Substations.

SCE anticipates that the I-C Project will be operational by June 2026, with construction occurring between the first quarter of 2023 and finished by the second quarter of 2026.

In its April 2020 Amended Application and PEA, SCE describes that its preferred scope for the IC Project would involve fully rebuilding three subtransmission line segments (i.e., Segments 1, 2 and 3S) while "derating" (i.e., reducing the amount of current that wires are allowed to carry) conductors in other segments (i.e., Segment 3N and Segment 4).

Nevertheless, SCE continued to analyze alternative methods for remediating discrepancies on these circuits, even after the Original Application was filed. As a result of that effort, SCE determined that certain methods would accomplish the necessary remediation with less environmental impact than the scope of work described in the Original Application. Therefore, SCE has revised its preferred and proposed scope of work for the IC Project to consist of the following components:

SCE proposes to remediate discrepancies along 262 miles of existing 115 kV subtransmission circuits in five segments. Detail of SCE's proposal is provided in Amended PEA Chapters 1 through 3 (15 MB). The proposal includes:

• Full rebuild of Segment 1 (Control Substation to Inyokern Substation);
  
  
• Full rebuild of Segment 2 (Inyokern Substation to Kramer Substation)
  
  
• Reconductor and replace structures on Segment 3N (Kramer Substation to Coolwater Substation, northern route) and on Segment 3S (Kramer Substation to Coolwater Substation, southern route)
  
  
• Derate and replace structures on Segment 4.

Along distribution circuits, SCE would remove existing distribution conductor and appurtenances and install new distribution conductor and appurtenances on replacement structures.

SCE would install new optical groundwire or fiber optic cable to allow telecommunications and system protection, on existing and replacement structures and within and outside of existing substations. At substations, SCE would disconnect the existing conductor and connect the new conductor, connect the telecommunications, and install new cables between existing breakers, relay and protection racks.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Application

SCE filed an application and PEA for the I-C Project on July 17, 2019. On April 13, 2020, SCE filed an Amended Application (51 MB) and PEA.

The CPUC completed a completeness/deficiency review of the April 2020 amended application and PEA in May 2020. This review resulted in the definition of PEA deficiency items that were detailed in a May 4, 2020 letter to SCE.

Preparation of the Draft EIR

The environmental review process for the I-C Project is underway, and the Draft EIR is being prepraed.

COMMENTS & QUESTIONS

If you have comments, complaints, or questions regarding the project, please contact us using the CPUC's I-C Project e-mail or voicemail, as follows:

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