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Introduction

Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the proposed construction of the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) Aliso Canyon Turbine Replacement Project (Aliso Canyon Project, or project). An application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on September 28, 2009 ( Application A.09-09-020). The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the Aliso Canyon project. This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.

Background

SoCalGas has filed an application with the CPUC to construct the Aliso Canyon Project. The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency.

The Aliso Canyon Project, as proposed by SoCalGas, includes the removal from service of the existing gas turbine-driven compressor (TDC) station located at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field (storage field) in unincorporated Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles, California. The TDC station would be replaced with three variable frequency compression trains installed in a new compressor station (Central Compressor Station). Other on-site and off-site associated facilities would be upgraded as part of the project. SoCalGas's application also requests approval under Section 851 of the Public Utilities Code for the enlargement of an existing Southern California Edison (SCE) electrical easement on SoCalGas property, which constitutes an additional element of the project under CEQA.

SoCalGas's application for constructing the Aliso Canyon Project is required in order to meet the terms of a Settlement Agreement (SA) between SoCalGas and parties to Phase 1 of the 2009 Biennial Cost Allocation Proceeding (BCAP) in D.08-12-020. The SA requires that SoCalGas replace the TDCs and expand the overall injection capacity at the storage field by approximately 145 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd), an increase of almost 50 percent.

The project would involve coordination between SoCalGas and SCE. Components of the proposed project that would be constructed and operated at the storage field by SoCalGas include:

  1. A new, electric-driven Central Compressor Station at the Plant Station site to replace the existing compressors, including three variable frequency drive compressor trains, compressors, piping, coolers, and other required equipment;
  2. Relocated office facilities. The existing trailers at the Plant Station site would be replaced by new, permanent office and crew shift buildings at a location in proximity to the proposed Central Compressor Station;
  3. Relocated guardhouse. The new guardhouse would be located 500 feet north of the existing guardhouse to relieve traffic congestion at the facility entrance. The existing guardhouse would not be removed as part of the project; and
  4. A new, four circuit, approximately 1,200-foot, 12-kV Plant Power Line that would provide dedicated electric services to the proposed Central Compressor Station. The Plant Power Line would be interconnected from the proposed SCE Natural Substation to the Central Compressor Station, and would be owned by the applicant.

Components of the proposed project that would be constructed and operated by SCE at and in the vicinity of the storage field would include:

  1. A new, 56-megavolt-ampere, 66/12-kV substation (Natural Substation), which would be constructed and operated at the storage field on an approximately 1-acre site. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE;
  2. Upgrades of up to 8.2 miles of electrical subtransmission lines in the area of the proposed project, along segments of SCE’s Chatsworth–MacNeil–Newhall–San Fernando 66-kV Subtransmission Line and MacNeil–Newhall–San Fernando 66 kV Subtransmission Lines. Upgrades would consist of reconductoring (conductor wire replacement), and tower/pole replacement. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE;
  3. Installation of up to 28.4 miles of telecommunications cable on existing structures in the area of the proposed project. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE; and
  4. Upgrades (installation of new equipment) at three existing SCE substations (Newhall, Chatsworth, and San Fernando Substations) that support the two existing SCE 66-kV subtransmission lines. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE.

The main project site (storage field) is approximately 3,600 acres in size. Project components would pass through unincorporated Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Santa Clarita (in Los Angeles County), the City of Mission Hills (in Los Angeles County), and unincorporated Ventura County.

The environmental review will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of CEQA and CPUC procedures.

Application and Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA)

The application and PEA for the Aliso Canyon Project may be viewed here (39 MB). The application was deemed complete by CPUC on March 24, 2010.

Other Documents Available

Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) and Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) for the project is available here:

The public review and comment period commences April 4, 2012 and runs through May 22, 2012. The Notice of Availability, above, provides instructions on submitting comments on the Draft EIR.

The CPUC will hold two public meetings to explain the Aliso Canyon Project, discuss the identified impacts that would result from the project, and receive comments on the Draft EIR from the public. The public meetings will be held at the following days, times, and locations:

Copies of the Draft EIR are available for review at the following public libraries:

Copies of the Draft EIR on CD may also be requested by phone or by email.

Commission Decision

The results of the Commission decision on the project will be presented here, when available.

The Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) will be presented here and available at the libraries listed above, when available.

Construction Progress and Mitigation Monitoring

Reports issued by the CPUC, reports on construction progress, and reports issued as part of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program will be published here, when available.

For Additional Information

To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone, as follows:

Project email: AlisoCanyonNG@ene.com
Project fax: (415) 398-5326
Project voicemail: (877) 676-8678

The CPUC Project Manager is:

Andrew Barnsdale, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-3221
Fax (415) 703-1758
Email: andrew.barnsdale@cpuc.ca.gov