Introduction
Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review of proposed Sanger Substation Expansion Project. The proposed project will expand Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) existing Sanger Substation to accommodate a new breaker-and-a-half (BAAH) bus configuration. The substation is located southeast of the City of Fresno in unincorporated Fresno County, at the northwest corner of the intersection of East Jensen Avenue and South McCall Avenue. The application for the Permit to Construct (PTC) was submitted on September 30, 2015 (A. 15-09-012). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process. Additional project information and documentation will be posted as it becomes available.
Project Description
Sanger Substation, which was built in 1920, is integral to the Central Valley 115 kV transmission system because it serves as a strategic hub for routing Fresno’s hydro- and natural gas-generated electricity to the Manchester, Barton, Airways, California, Malaga, McCall, and Reedley substations. Sanger Substation’s twelve 115 kV power lines have the capacity to carry approximately 200 MW of generation annually, providing a critical energy path between Fresno metropolitan north and south areas. Sanger Substation will be expanded onto approximately 7 acres adjacent to and generally north and west of the existing substation.
Major components of the Sanger Substation Expansion Project include the following:- Expanded substation and related facilities, which include installing approximately:
- Twenty-three 115 kV circuit breakers.
- Up to twenty-four 115 kV switches/disconnects.
- Eighteen 115 kV steel support structures.
- Two Modular Protection Automation Control (MPAC) buildings to house sensitive recording and communication equipment; and
- Elevating the existing 115 kV transfer bus to meet the minimum vertical clearance between unguarded live parts and roadways inside the substation.
- Altering the angle of the incoming power lines and replacing the switches, breakers, and structures outside of their existing footprint.
- Power line reconfiguration:
- Rearranging the existing electric power circuits by removing approximately 17 existing lattice steel towers and 24 wood poles; and installing approximately 41 new tubular steel poles (TSPs) or light duty steel poles (LDSPs).
- Altering the angle of the incoming power lines and replacing the switches, breakers, and structures outside of their existing footprint.
- Constructing temporary shoo-fly structures that support the power conductors during circuit reconfiguration.
- Demolishing and replacing the existing substation equipment, including approximately:
- Sixteen 115 kV circuit breakers.
- 24 switches/disconnects.
- 18 steel support structures.
- One of the existing control buildings.
- Certain towers and poles inside the substation fence.
Project Location
The proposed project is located in unincorporated Fresno County, approximately 2 miles west of Sanger, California and approximately 3 miles southeast of Fresno. The existing Sanger Substation occupies an approximately 4.5-acre parcel at the northwest corner of East Jensen Avenue and South McCall Avenue. The expansion would cover approximately 7-acres adjacent to and generally north and west of the existing substation. The surrounding area is predominately agriculture and the existing substation is surrounded by vineyards and row crops. The closest rural residence is 200 feet north of the proposed expanded substation.
Application and Proponent’s Environmental Assessment
PG&E filed an application (A.15-09-012) for a PTC and Proponent’s Environmental Assessment (PEA) on September 30, 2015. The PEA provides information to begin the independent environmental review process conducted by the CPUC.
- PG&E Application
- PEA
- PEA Appendices
Deficiencies, Data Requests, and Responses
The CPUC is currently reviewing the application and PEA to identify additional data needed from the Applicant to complete the environmental review process. The CPUC submitted data requests to the applicant for specific information to support the environmental review process. Those requests and the Applicant’s responses are included below.
| CPUC Report/Request | PG&E’s Response | Attachments |
|---|---|---|
| Deficiency Report No. 1 (Submitted 10/30/2015) |
Deficiency Response No. 1 (Received 11/30/2015) |
Attachments A to F (Received 11/30/2015) |
| Deficiency Report No. 2 (Submitted 12/11/2015) |
Deficiency Response No. 2 (Received 01/07/2016) |
Attachments A to C (Received 01/07/2016) |
| PEA Completeness Letter (Submitted 01/26/2016) |
||
| Data Request No. 1 (Submitted 02/04/2016) |
Applicant’s Response to Data Request #1 (Received 03/04/2016) Additional Applicant Response to Data Request #1 |
Attachment A – Revised Visual Simulation VP7 Attachment B – EDR Radius Map Report with GeoCheck Attachment C – California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) Submittal Summary Attachment D – Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan Attachment E – Revised Table 3.16-3: Estimated Truck Trips |
| Data Request No. 2 (Submitted 04/15/2016) |
Applicant’s Response to Data Request #2 (Received 04/29/2016) |
Attachment A – General Arrangement Illustration |
Additional Information
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available. The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, in conducting an environmental review of the project. To request additional information, ask a question, or be added to the project mailing list, please contact:
| Voicemail: | 1 (844) 433-2844 (toll free) |
| Fax: | (415) 396-5326 |
| U.S. Mail or Courier: | Billie Blanchard California Public Utilities Commission c/o Environment and Ecology Inc. 505 Sansome Street Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94111 |
| Email: | Sanger.CPUC@ene.com |