Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of Pacific Gas and Electric's (PG&E) proposed Seventh Standard Substation Project. An application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on March 2, 2009 (A.09-03-004). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.

Background

The proposed Seventh Standard Substation Project is located in northwest Bakersfield, Kern County, California. The proposed 4.9-acre substation is located south of Seventh Standard Road and west of the Calloway Canal, approximately 2.5 miles west of State Route 99. It would be on land that is currently an almond orchard.

The new electric substation would be an automated, low-profile facility. Electrical power would enter the substation by tapping the Rio Bravo–Kern Oil 115 kV power line that parallels the south side of Seventh Standard Road. Electrical power would leave the substation as 21 kV via distribution feeder lines, which would interconnect with the distribution network. Construction would involve the installation of the following components:

• A new, three-bank 115/21 kV distribution substation;
  
  
• A single tubular steel pole (TSP) to be located midway between the substation and Seventh Standard Road, and two other TSPs (dead-end structures) to be located nearer to and east of the substation;
  
  
• Two drop-down structures on the east side of the substation;
  
  
• Up to nine distribution circuits (at full buildout) exiting the substation in underground conduit and transitioning to the overhead position or remaining underground; and
  
  
• A paved access road from Seventh Standard Road to the substation.
  

Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA)

PG&E filed a PEA with the Application in March 2009. This document provided a starting point for the environmental review process conducted by the CPUC. In addition, PG&E's Notice of an Application for a Permit to Construct can be found here.

Environmental Review Process

PG&E's Application and PEA were deemed complete by the CPUC on April 1, 2009.

The CPUC has determined that an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) will be the appropriate CEQA document to be prepared for this project. The Draft IS/MND will be distributed for public review. A final document will then be published before the CPUC makes a decision on the proposed Project. Each of these documents will be available on this web site as they become available.

For Additional Information

The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the project. To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us, as follows:

The CPUC's Project Manager is: