A San Diego Sunrise: Clean Energy

The Sunrise Powerlink Project is a new electric transmission line that will deliver power to more than 650,000 homes and businesses in San Diego and South Orange counties. This new "superhighway" would also link the state's electricity grid to new supplies of clean solar, wind and geothermal energy in the Imperial Valley and improve energy security throughout Southern California.

Currently the SDG&E system is connected to the state's system by only two transmission lines. Due to the large population growth in these regions and the increased energy demands, those lines have become overburdened, causing higher utility bills and reliability risks. Industry forecasts show that if steps are not taken in the San Diego region by 2010 we will face energy shortages.

Currently California's 36 million residents receive their power through a network of interconnected transmission lines that provide reliable electric service. But the system will become unreliable due to population growth, causing a major disruption or breakdown of the transmission lines putting us at risk for blackouts and energy shortages across the state. The Sunrise Powerlink will add a vital new link to the state's energy grid increasing Southern California's energy supplies thus reducing the risk of power outages.

On December 18, 2008 the California Public Utilities Commission gave the final approval for the Sunrise Powerlink electric transmission line. In a 4-1 vote, the CPUC named the Sunrise Powerlink the key solution to ensuring the regions electric reliability and for providing access to a new market of rich renewable energy sources being developed east of San Diego in the Imperial Valley. The long awaited decision followed dozens of public hearings and rallies, and the release of an 11,000 page environmental study.

The permitting process for the project was the most comprehensive ever completed for a powerline in California history. SDG&E will now finalize engineering and design on the project, and then begin construction by 2010 on the 150-mile Sunrise Powerlink. Completion is expected in 2012 and the $1.9 billion power line will be able to deliver as many as 1,000 megawatts of clean, green energy.

SDG&E said the best place to lay the powerlink was along a 150-mile route between El Centro and Carmel Valley, running thru the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Santa Ysabel, Ramona and Rancho Penasquitos. This has been opposed by environmentalists, park visitors, and back-country residents. As a result a different more southern route traveling from El Centro, to an electrical substation east of Scripps Ranch, following interstate 8 part of the way and entering San Diego by way of Alpine.