Southern California Edison, Presidential Substation Project (Moorpark to Thousand Oaks)

STATUS: In progress, with opposition.

OPPOSITION: local residents

PROSPECTS: Likely

BACKGROUND: Southern California Edison (SCE) submitted an application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on December 22, 2008 for the proposed Presidential Substation project. The CPUC's decision is expected the 1st Quarter of 2010. The Project is expected to be operational by June 2011. The project would serve Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and part of unincorporated Ventura County. Edison officials have said the purpose of this project is to address growing demand for electricity. The project involves the construction of a new electrical substation and installation of transmission poles. The construction of the metal poles is the source of contention for some local residents who live along the area in which the transmission line would traverse. Several local residents said the metal poles, to replace wood ones, would be too close to their homes, and that they are concerned about potential health risks. Edison officials say that the metal poles are needed to hold both existing and new transmission lines. SOURCES: Southern California Edison (http: //www.sce.com/presidential); Ventura County Star (www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jan/17/to-wants-hearing-on-edison-project/) and (www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/oct/28/edison-line-plan-worries-residents/)

Comments

[charles cronin]

The opposition to the project is far greater than what you have stated in the summary and is based on well defined issues explained in 21 Formal Protests to the CPUC . Opposition is from:
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Moorpark
City of Simi Valley
Center for Biological Diversity
The Enclave Homeowners Association
Property owners along the route

The grounds for the opposition are far reaching including proven endangered plants and animals, existing wildlife corridor, established scenic corridor and state scenic highway, and impact on protected Open Space in the Tierra Rejeda Valley. The Department of Interior-National Parks Service has expressed concerns due a long standing project in the area to finalize and protect a Wildlife Corridor between Simi Hills and Santa Monica Mountains.
Aside from the environmental issues stated above, the project need has not been demonstrated by SCE and they maintain that they can spend $40 million without the need to explain that the project is needed. Although the CPUC rules do not require a demonstration of need for a sub-transmission and related transmission lines of 66KV the SCE's reluctance to share their methodology indicates that the need may be fabricated. As further support that the need is not real the California Energy Commission projects a growth rate of 10% over the next ten years versus SCE 25% speculative increase in demand. The CEC does a very detailed analysis including a host of factors and is well documented and public project versus SCE secretive speculation of 25% growth in demand. The affected area is already receiving a doubling of capacity via the Newbury Park substation however SCE refuses to include that sub-station impact and redistribution of service areas in their needs analysis. The available housing unit growth within the the service area is less than 1% leaving the remaining 24% unexplained by SCE.