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Welcome to the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review for the proposed
construction of the San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) East County (ECO)
Substation Project located in southeastern San Diego County, California.
SDG&E submitted an application to the CPUC on August 10, 2009 (Application
A.09-08-003). The proposed project is subject to review under both
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This site provides access to public
documents and information relevant to the CEQA and NEPA review
processes.
QUICK LINKS
Project Meetings
Background Information on the Project
Application and Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA)
Data Requests
Other Documents Available
Final EIR/EIS
Draft EIR/EIS
Final EIR/EIS errata
Commission Decision
Construction Progress and Mitigation Monitoring
For Additional Information
BLM Tule Wind News Release
On October 25, 2011, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) clarified the Tule Wind Project public process in a news release.
The Tule Wind Project does not amend BLM’s Eastern San Diego County Resource Management Plan, and the Plan has already
designated the area as suitable for wind development. Therefore, a 30-day protest period and concurrent 30-day Governor’s
Consistency Review upon release of the Final EIR/EIS is not appropriate.
To help understand the proposed project and explain how the public can participate
in the CPUC’s and BLM’s decision-making process, CPUC
and BLM held two public informational meetings, including one at the Jacumba
Highland Center located at 44681 Old Highway 80, Jacumba, California 91934 on
January 26, 2011, at 7:00 p.m., and another at the Boulevard Volunteer Fire
Department located at 39223 Highway 94, Boulevard, California 91905 on February
2, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
To find out how you can participate in the Permit to Construct Proceeding for
the ECO Substation Project,
please register your interest by contacting the public advisor office:
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/aboutus/Divisions/CSID/Public+Advisor/
Administrative Law Judge's Prehearing Conference
The Administrative Law Judge held a Prehearing Conference for the
ECO Substation Project on Friday, February 18, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. in the
San Diego State Office Building, 6th floor, Courtroom 1-6003, 1350 Front
Street, San Diego, California.
Prehearing conference notice
SDG&E filed an application for a Permit to Construct the ECO
Substation Project with the CPUC and an application for a
Right-of-Way (ROW) Grant from the BLM. The proposed ECO Substation Project will cross
approximately 1.5 miles of land managed by BLM. The CPUC and the
BLM have developed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(completed on December 14, 2009) that will direct the
preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the ECO Substation
Project. The CPUC, as the lead agency under California law, and
the BLM, as the federal lead agency, have prepared a Draft and
Final EIR/EIS to comply with CEQA and NEPA. The CPUC will
evaluate the environmental impacts of the proposed ECO
Substation Project in accordance with CEQA and the BLM will
evaluate the project in accordance with NEPA.
The ECO Substation Project, as proposed by SDG&E, includes the
following major components:
- Construction of a 500/230/138-kilovolt (kV) substation in
Eastern San Diego County
- Construction of the Southwest Powerlink (SWPL) loop-in,
a short loop-in of the existing SWPL transmission line to
the proposed ECO Substation
- Construction of a138 kV transmission line,
approximately 13.3 miles in length, running between the
proposed ECO Substation and the rebuilt Boulevard
Substation
- Rebuild of the existing Boulevard Substation.
The proposed ECO Substation Project would provide an
interconnection hub for renewable generation along SDG&E´s
existing SWPL 500 kV transmission line. In addition to
accommodating the region´s planned renewable generation, the
project would also provide a second source for the southeastern
138 kV transmission system that avoids the vulnerability of
common structure outages, which would increase the reliability
of electrical service for Boulevard, Jacumba, and surrounding
communities. The ECO Substation Project would provide
interconnection capability at three voltage levels, which would
provide renewable generators the option to connect at a voltage
level that is appropriately sized for their project.
The primary component of the project, the ECO Substation, is
situated approximately 0.5 mile north of the United States
(U.S.)–Mexico border and 0.5 mile west of the Imperial County
border.
In addition to the ECO Substation Project, the CPUC and BLM
have determined that the Tule Wind Project, as proposed by
Tule Wind, LLC (a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables,
Inc.), and the Energia Sierra Juarez Generator-Tie (ESJ Gen-Tie)
Project, as proposed by Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission,
LLC, are so closely related to the proposed ECO Substation
Project as to be considered “connected actions” under NEPA and
“whole of the action” under CEQA. Current plans for the Tule
Wind Project would tie this project into the proposed Boulevard
Substation rebuild component of the ECO Substation Project. As
proposed, the ESJ Gen-Tie Project would connect to the ECO
Substation 500 kV or 230/138 kV yards component of the ECO
Substation Project. These three projects are collectively
referred to as the Proposed PROJECT. In addition, the proposed
Invenergy and SDG&E Campo Wind Project, as well as the Manzanita
Wind Project and Jordan Wind Project, which would connect to the
Boulevard Substation Rebuild, are viewed as reasonably
foreseeable future projects. The CPUC and BLM have determined that these three
wind energy projects are sufficiently developed to analyze
impacts where feasible. Therefore, for purposes of this EIR/EIS,
the Campo, Manzanita, and Jordan wind energy projects are
qualitatively evaluated at a programmatic level because
sufficient project-level information has yet to be developed.
The proposed Campo, Manzanita, and Jordan wind energy projects
will still require project-specific environmental review and
evaluation under all applicable environmental regulations once
sufficient project-level information is developed. By including
these nascent wind projects as components of the Proposed
PROJECT, it allows the lead agencies to further consider broad
impacts, mitigation, and consequences of the ECO Substation
Project specifically, and the Proposed PROJECT as a whole.
The project location map depicts the
location of the ECO Substation, Tule Wind, and ESJ projects, as
well as the location of the Campo, Manzanita, and Jordan wind
energy projects. This map also depicts ESJ Wind Project
components in northern Baja California, Mexico, as potential
biological, visual resource, and fire impacts within the U.S.
that could be related to or caused by this project are addressed
in the ECO Substation, Tule Wind, and ESJ Gen-Tie Projects
EIR/EIS.
These projects are analyzed within the same environmental
document and are described below.
Tule Wind Project
The proposed Tule Wind Project, consisting of up to 128 wind
turbines in the 1.5 to 3.0–megawatt (MW) range generating up to
201 MW of electricity, would be located in the McCain Valley in
southeastern San Diego County, California. In addition to wind
turbines and associated generator step-up transformers, the Tule
Wind Project would include the following components:
- A 34.5 kV overhead and underground collector cable system
linking the wind turbines to the collector substation
- A 5-acre collector substation and a 5-acre operations and
maintenance (O&M) facility
- Three meteorological towers and one sonic detecting
and ranging (SODAR) unit or one light detecting and
ranging (LIDAR) unit
- A 138 kV overhead transmission line running south
from the collector substation to be interconnecting with
the rebuilt SDG&E Boulevard Substation
- Newly constructed access roads and temporarily
widened and improved existing access roads.
For public safety, permanent fences would be erected around the
collector substation, meteorological towers, O&M facility, and the
equipment storage area.
This project requires a Record of Decision from BLM and a Major Use Permit
from the County of San Diego. The County of San Diego could choose to either
rely on the CPUC/BLM environmental document to meet their CEQA requirements for
its discretionary action under CEQA in consideration of issuing a Major Use
Permit (Major Impact Service Utility), as portions of this project are within
the County's jurisdiction, or amend, supplement, and/or prepare additional
documentation to meet its environmental compliance needs.
ESJ Gen-Tie Project
As proposed by Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC, the ESJ Gen-Tie
Project would have the capacity to import up to 1,250 MW of renewable energy
generated in northern Baja California, Mexico, to the existing SWPL Transmission
Line in southeastern San Diego County, California. The selected route would
interconnect with the proposed ECO Substation and would be constructed on three
to five 150-foot lattice towers or 170-foot steel monopoles, extending south
from the point of interconnection for less than 1 mile to the U.S.-Mexico
international border. In addition, approximately 4 miles east of the ESJ Gen-Tie
site, a new access route (150 feet by 20 feet) is proposed from Old Highway 80
to an existing well site. Both the access route and the well site are owned by
the Jacumba Community Services District. The EIR/EIS addresses the gen-tie line including any potential impacts
to the U.S. associated with wind turbines constructed in Mexico.
This project requires a Presidential Permit (PP-334) from the United States
Department of Energy and a Major Use Permit from the County of San Diego. The
County of San Diego could choose to either rely on the CPUC/BLM environmental
document to meet its CEQA requirements for its discretionary action under CEQA
in consideration of issuing the Major Use Permit (Major Impact Service Utility)
for this project, or amend, supplement, and/or prepare additional documentation
to meet its environmental compliance needs.
Campo Wind Project
SDG&E proposes to construct and operate approximately 106 turbines capable of
generating 160 MW of electricity on its reservation lands. The project would be
located south of the Tule Wind Project and west of the Boulevard Substation on
the Campo Indian Reservation. Construction of the project is expected to occur
over a single phase. Turbines (approximately 450 feet tall from ground to tip of
the fully extended turbine blade) would be located on available ridgelines on
the reservation. In addition to the 160 MW of generating capacity proposed for
this project, the Campo Tribe has requested that an additional 140 MW of
generation be analyzed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ NEPA review of the
project for future development purposes. The proposed Invenergy and SDG&E Campo
Wind Project would connect with the Boulevard Substation Rebuild component of
the ECO Substation Project.
Manzanita Wind Project
The Manzanita Tribe proposes a project capable of generating up to 57.5 MW,
which could include up to 25 wind turbines depending on the turbine size
selected. These wind turbines are proposed to be located on the same ridgeline
as the existing Kumeyaay Wind facility. Turbines are proposed to be
approximately 414 feet tall from ground to tip of the turbine blade fully
extended. The Manzanita Wind Project would connect with the Boulevard Substation
Rebuild component of the ECO Substation Project.
It is expected that the Campo and Manzanita wind energy projects would
develop a switchyard for both facilities on non-tribal lands and a new 138 kV
transmission line would be constructed along the existing ROW of the 69 kV
transmission corridor that currently connects to the existing Boulevard
Substation. The new 138 kV transmission line would interconnect with the
proposed Boulevard Substation Rebuild component of the ECO Substation Project.
Jordan Wind Project
The developers of the Jordan Wind Project have completed a preliminary wind
energy assessment to construct and operate 40 2.3 MW turbines (total generating
capacity of 92 MW) west of Boulevard in unincorporated San Diego County. The
towers of the proposed wind turbines would be approximately 260 feet tall
(height from ground to tip of fully extended blade would be approximately 430
feet). As proposed, construction of the project would occur between February and
October 2013, and commercial operations are scheduled to begin in November 2013.
The preferred point of interconnection for the Jordan Wind Project is the
Boulevard Substation Rebuild component of the ECO Substation Project.
SDG&E's proponent's environmental assessment (PEA) for the ECO Substation Project
was submitted August 10, 2009, and is available
here.
The EIR/EIS team has submitted data requests to the applicants and other
entities for specific information during preparation of the EIR/EIS. Those
requests and the applicants’ responses are available online:
Technical Studies
Technical Studies prepared for the ECO Substation, Tule Wind, and ESJ
Gen-Tie projects and used in preparation of the EIR/EIS are available
online in the following links:
Public Participation
The Scoping Report is available here (March
23, 2010). Due to an oversight, letters received from the Defenders of
Wildlife and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were not published in the March 2010 Scoping Report. These letters, received
on January 28 and February 3, 2010, are published in their entirety in Appendix G as
Volume 3 (addendum).
Other
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
The Final EIR/EIS was published October 14, 2011.
The Draft EIR/EIS was released for public review on December 24, 2010, for a
54-day public review period ending February 16, 2011. The Draft EIR/EIS public
review comment period was subsequently extended from February 16, 2011, to March
4, 2011.
The CPUC voted on June 21, 2012, to grant SDG&E a permit to construct the ECO Substation Project.
On March 16, 2012, the assigned Commissioner (Ferron) issued a ruling amending the proceeding schedule to provide for the issuance of a proposed interim decision resolving EIR certification to be followed at a later date with a final proposed decision considering project approval. On April 19, 2012, the CPUC voted to certify the Final EIR.
On May 17th, 2012, the Administrative Law Judge issued a proposed
decision that would grant SDG&E a permit to construct the ECO Substation
Project. The proposed decision will be considered at the June 21,
2012 Commission business meeting.
Reports issued by the CPUC, reports on construction progress, and reports
issued as part of the Mitigation Monitoring Program can be found by clicking on
the following link:
The CPUC, through its environmental review team, is conducting an
environmental review of this project. To request additional information or to be
added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone as follows:
Project email: ecosub@dudek.com
Project fax and voicemail: (800) 371-8854
To leave a voice-mail message, please press
“1.”
To send a fax, please press “2.”
The CPUC's project manager is:
Amy Baker, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-1691
Fax (415) 703-2200
The BLM's project manager is:
Greg Thomsen, BLM Project Manager
Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office
1661 S. 4th Street
El Centro, CA 92243
Tel. (951) 697-5237
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the Energy Division web
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Project Home Page -
CPUC Environmental Information - CPUC Home |
Related Links:
ECO Substation (BLM website)
ECO Substation Project
(SDG&E website)
Tule Wind
Project (BLM website)
Tule Wind
Project (IBR website)
ESJ Project (DOE website)
ESJ Project (Sempra
website)
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