Sycamore-Peñasquitos 230-Kilovolt Transmission Line Project

Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review of San Diego Gas and Electric’s (SDG&E’s) proposed Sycamore-Peñasquitos 230-Kilovolt Transmission Line Project (Proposed Project) located in San Diego County, California. SDG&E submitted an application to the CPUC for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the project on April 7, 2014. This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process, including mitigation compliance during construction. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared by the CPUC (the CEQA Lead Agency) that evaluated potential environmental impacts associated with this Project. The CPUC voted on October 13, 2016 to approve Alternative 5, which was the Environmentally Superior Alternative in the EIR (see Decision 16-10-005), and a Notice of Determination was submitted to the State Clearinghouse.

QUICK LINKS

Project Schedule

Project Milestones
Milestones	Date
Application deemed complete by CPUC	July 24, 2014
Publication of Notice of Preparation	August 11, 2014
Publication of Draft EIR	September 17, 2015
Public Comment Period on Draft EIR (45 Days)	September 17, 2015 - November 2, 2015
Publication of Final EIR	March 7, 2016
CPUC Decision	October 13, 2016
Start of Construction	January 4, 2017
End of Construction	August 2018

Mitigation Monitoring, Compliance, and Reporting Program

A Mitigation Monitoring, Compliance, and Reporting Program (MMCRP) was prepared by the CPUC to ensure compliance with applicant proposed measures and mitigation measures approved in the Final EIR. The MMCRP provides guidelines and standardizes procedures for environmental compliance during project implementation. The procedures define the reporting relationships, the roles and responsibilities of the project's environmental compliance team members, compliance reporting procedures, and the communication protocol. The final MMCRP is available below.

MMCRP
Appendix A - Project Alignment, Segments, and Staging Area Maps
Appendix B - Pre-Construction Mitigation Measures Tracking Table
Appendix C - Construction Mitigation Measures Tracking Table
Appendix D - Post-Construction Mitigation Measures Tracking Table
Appendix E - Operation and Maintenance Mitigation Measures Tracking Table
Appendix F - Project Contacts List (Confidential)
Appendix G - Weekly Compliance Checklist Form
Appendix H - Minor Project Refinement Form
Appendix I - Temporary Extra Work Space Request Form

Pre-Construction Plans and Other Mitigation Compliance Documents

Required pre-construction plans, permits, and mitigation compliance documents that have been reviewed and approved by the CPUC can be viewed here.

Construction and Mitigation Monitoring

Notices to Proceed

Construction of the Sycamore-Peñasquitos 230-kV Transmission Line Project began in January 2017 with the establishment of some construction yards, pending approvals and Notices to Proceed (NTPs) issued by the CPUC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Coastal Commission, the Cities of San Diego and Poway, and MCAS Miramar depending on jurisdiction, area, and type of work. NTPs that have been issued to SDG&E by the CPUC are noted below.

NTP #	Description
NTP 1	Mobilize and begin operation of staging yards
NTP 2	Construct the underground portion from Sycamore Substation to Structure P03 and from Structure P05 to Structure CC MM CP
NTP 3	Mobilize and begin overhead transmission line and substation construction
NTP 4	Conduct one geotechnical boring within the Option 2 temporary workspace footprint
NTP 5	Re-tension and sag approximately 2 miles of an existing 230-kV transmission line

Weekly Monitoring Reports

CPUC Environmental Monitors monitor construction activities to ensure that they were conducted in accordance with approved mitigation measures and permit conditions. Weekly reports documenting construction activities and compliance can be viewed here.

Minor Project Refinements

The CPUC reviews SDG&E’s Minor Project Refinements (MPRs) according to the process outlined in the MMCRP. SDG&E's MPR proposals and the CPUC’s review are provided in the table below.

MPR #	Description
MPR 1	Modify the approved project by transitioning the new 230-kV line and existing 138-kV line to an underground position
MPR 2	Modify the approved project by rerouting the new 230-kV underground line to avoid two parallel storm drains, reducing the originally approved alignment by 300 feet
MPR 3	Provide temporary power to the SDG&E trailer at the Stonebridge Staging Yard through the existing power box
MPR 4	Relocate the approved 2.61-acre Vulcan Mine Yard approximately 884 feet west to a 1.71-acre paved area
MPR 5	Establish staging yards along the southern perimeter of Pomerado Road and temporary work spaces north of P05 and P06
MPR 6	Establish staging yards along the southern and northern perimeters of Pomerado Road
MPR 7	Establish a staging yard at the intersection of Pomerado Road and Avenue of Nations (previously approved in TEWS #1) and extend the temporary work space surrounding structure E40
MPR 8	Proposes temporary work areas to access 16 existing poles and 14 guard structure over a 2-mile existing transmission alignment
MPR 8	Data Request #1 / Data Request #2
MPR 9	Add 1.12 acres of paved, developed area to use as a staging area for vehicles and construction equipment; grade 0.01 acres; and install temporary fence along the perimeter of the proposed area
MPR 10	Authorizes a newly identified underground route option for the crossing of Interstate (I)-15, using a tunnel bore machine (TBM) to install the 230 kilovolt (kV) line under I-15
MPR 11	Adds approximately 0.13 acres of temporary work space to accommodate the installation of the 138kV and 230kV trench packages north of Sycamore Canyon Substation
MPR 12	Authorizes an approximately 0.96 acre of additional temporary workspace located along Kearny Mesa Road and west of Interstate 15
MPR 13	Authorizes SDG&E to install five guy wire anchors within an existing dirt access road between structures P05 and P06
MPR 14	Authorizes an approximately 0.44 acre of additional temporary workspace located just northwest of structure CC MM CP
MPR 15	Authorizes the installation of stormwater management features by the CC MM CP structure.
MPR 16	Authorizes the repair and widening of the access road to Sycamore Canyon Substation.

Nest Survey Reports, Nest Buffer Reduction Requests, and Approvals

SDG&E conducts nesting bird surveys and implements protective measures to avoid and mitigate project-related impacts to nesting birds during the avian nesting season as specified in the MMCRP. The specified buffers from nesting birds may be reduced on a case-by-case basis in accordance with Mitigation Measure Biology-7 if, based on compelling biological or ecological reasoning, a CPUC-, USFWS-, and CDFW-approved qualified biologist determines that implementation of a specified smaller buffer distance will still avoid nest abandonment and failure. The CPUC’s independent biologist reviews SDG&E's requests to reduce standard buffers or for temporary buffer incursions. The nest survey reports, nest buffer reduction requests (NBRRs), and approvals can be viewed here.

Temporary Extra Work Space Requests

The CPUC reviews SDG&E’s Temporary Extra Work Space (TEWS) requests according to the MMCRP. SDG&E's TEWS requests and approvals are provided in the table below.

TEWS #	Description
TEWS 1	The proposed 0.02-acre TEWS was identified and approved by the City of San Diego Resident Engineer as an alternate staging area for overnight staging of heavy equipment.
TEWS 2	The proposed 72-square-foot TEWS is within County of San Diego's public right-of-way and will be used for vault shoring.
TEWS 3	Relocate the proposed GS 06 location from a landscaped slope to a commercial parking lot.
TEWS 4	The approximately 4,800-square-foot TEWS is located at 6925 Lusk Boulevard in the City of San Diego, and will be used as a helicopter landing zone.
TEWS 5	The approximately 1,801-square-foot TEWS is located on the north side of Stonebridge Parkway within the City of San Diego., and will be used as a temporary staging area for a large crane.

Post-Construction Monitoring Report

CPUC prepared a Post-Construction Monitoring Report to document the compliance process during construction of the Project. This report includes a description of the unique circumstances and lessons learned from construction of an underground 230-kV transmission line within an urban area.

The Post-Construction Monitoring Report can be viewed here.

Commission Decision

The CPUC Commission granted SDG&E a CPCN to construct Alternative 5 (Pomerado Road to Miramar Area North Combination Underground/ Overhead), the environmentally superior alternative, on October 13, 2016.

The Commission decision (D. 16-10-005) can be viewed here.

Mira Mesa Community Planning Group Presentation

At the request of the Mira Mesa Community Planning Group, the CPUC’s environmental consultant attended their September 19, 2016 meeting to summarize the CPUC environmental review and notification processes for the Sycamore-Peñasquitos Project, describe the components of Alternative 5 (the Environmentally Superior Alternative in the EIR) and Mitigation Measures to reduce significant impacts, outline the remaining schedule for project approval and construction, and discuss community concerns about construction of the Alternative 5 alignment in the Mira Mesa community.

The presentation from the meeting is available here.

Environmental Review

Petition for Modification

SDG&E filed a request for Petition for Modification pursuant to Rule 16.4 of CPUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure on January 23, 2019. SDG&E requested to modify CPUC Decision 16-10-005 to re-tension and sag approximately 2 miles of the existing 230-kV transmission line. The area included in the Petition for Modification is located south of Carroll Canyon Road and east of Interstate 805 in western San Diego County and partially within Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The Petition for Modification can be viewed here.

The Environmental Assessment (Attachment D) for SDG&E's Petition for Modiciation was revised in February 2019.
The revised Environmental Assessment can be viewed here.

The CPUC prepared an Addendum to the Final EIR for SDG&E's Petition for Modification. The Addendum can be viewed here.

On July 11, 2019, the CPUC issued Decision 19-07-008 to adopt the Addendum to the Final EIR and grant SDG&E’s Petition for Modification. The CPUC's decision can be viewed here.

Data Requests and Responses

The CPUC Environmental Review Team submitted data requests to the applicant for specific information to support the Petition for Modification process. These requests and the applicant's responses are available below.

CPUC Data Request	SDG&E Response	Attachments
Data Request 1 (Submitted January 29, 2019)	Response (February 6, 2019)	Response Attachments

Final Environmental Impact Report

Final EIR: The Final EIR was published on March 7, 2016. Comments that were submitted on the Draft EIR are presented in Volume I of this Final EIR, along with responses to all comments. The CPUC is expected to make a decision on the project in 2016.

Addendum: An Addendum to the Final EIR was published on May 2016.

Draft Environmental Impact Report

Draft EIR: The Draft EIR was published on September 17, 2015. The comment period closed on November 2, 2015. Comments submitted on the Draft EIR are available here.

Informational Workshops

Three informational workshops on the Draft EIR were held in September 2015. The informational workshops were intended to help affected communities understand the Proposed Project, alternatives, and the Draft EIR, and to explain how the public can participate in the CPUC decision-making process. The informational workshops included a brief presentation that summarized the EIR process, the Proposed Project and alternatives evaluated, the conclusions of the Draft EIR, and the decision-making process. The presentation slides and all meeting materials are available on this website below.

Memo Regarding Revised Workshop Presentation
Workshop Presentation (Revised September 29, 2015)
Draft EIR FAQ Sheet
Project Fact Sheet

Notice of Preparation
Issuance of a CEQA Notice of Preparation (NOP) is the first step in the EIR process. This document provides a description of the proposed Project and potential alternatives, as well as a schedule of the CPUC's proposed scoping process that will include public scoping meetings and agency consultations. The NOP was published on August 11, 2014. Click here to view the NOP.

Scoping Period and Meetings
The scoping period began on August 18, 2014 and ended on September 16, 2014. In order for the public and regulatory agencies to have an opportunity to ask questions on the scope of the EIR, the CPUC held three scoping meetings in the project area on August 25 and 26, 2014.

Public Scoping Report
The CPUC prepared a Public Scoping Report that documents the scoping activities and oral comments from the scoping meetings, as well as the written comments submitted in response to the NOP. This report serves as an information source to the CPUC in the determination of the range of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the Draft EIR. Click here to view the Scoping Report and Appendices.

Background

SDG&E stated that the Proposed Project objective is to meet the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) 2012–2013 Transmission Plan Functional Specifications for a new 230-kV transmission line between the Sycamore Canyon and Peñasquitos Substations by:

Project Description

SDG&E's Proposed Project would be located within the Cities of San Diego and Poway. A portion of the Proposed Project would be located on the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar east of Interstate 15 (I-15). The Sycamore-Peñasquitos corridor traverses residential, open space, military (MCAS Miramar), vacant land, urban, commercial/shopping, industrial/energy facility, park, transportation, and light industrial/business park uses.

The Proposed Project includes construction and operation of a new 230-kV transmission line between the existing Sycamore Canyon and Peñasquitos Substations. The Proposed Project includes four transmission line segments and minor modifications to four existing substations:

Segment A: Sycamore Canyon Substation to Carmel Valley Road. SDG&E would construct an approximately 8.31-mile long 230-kV transmission line on 36 new double-circuit 230-kV and two 138-kV tubular steel poles (120-foot and 75-foot average height, respectively) from the Sycamore Canyon Substation to Carmel Valley Road. Two existing transmission lines (TL 13820 and TL 13825, which both terminate at Chicarita Substation) would be relocated to the new tubular steel poles, and approximately 42 wood H-frame structures, two tubular steel poles, one double-circuit cable pole, and two single-circuit wood mono poles associated with the two existing transmission lines would be removed. A portion of TL 13820 would be undergrounded as it enters the Sycamore Canyon Substation. Existing transmission line TL 23041 would be relocated to two new 230-kV structures within and immediately adjacent to the Sycamore Canyon Substation to make room for the new 230-kV connection at the substation.

Segment B: Underground Carmel Valley Road. SDG&E would construct an approximately 2.84-mile long 230-kV underground transmission line in Carmel Valley Road. Two cable pole structures (160-foot average height) for underground/overhead transmission conversion would be placed at the ends of the undergrounded segment. One double-circuit steel lattice tower would be removed at the western reach of the segment. Also, one 138-kV single circuit wood H-frame structure would be removed.

Segment C: Carmel Valley Road to Peñasquitos Junction. SDG&E would install approximately 2.19 miles of 230-kV conductor on existing steel lattice structures and one new tubular steel pole between Carmel Valley Road and Peñasquitos Junction. One steel lattice tower would be removed at the Peñasquitos Junction. Two existing transmission lines (TL 23001 and TL 23004) would be reconductored and bundled on the existing structures and re-designated as TL 23004. Existing shield wire on top of existing 230-kV steel lattice towers would be replaced with new optical ground wire.

Segment D: Peñasquitos Junction to Peñasquitos Substation. SDG&E would install approximately 3.34 miles of 230-kV conductor on existing double-circuit lattice towers and a tubular steel pole between the Peñasquitos Junction and the Peñasquitos Substation. SDG&E would also consolidate two existing 69-kV power lines (TL 675 and TL 6906) onto 17 new 69-kV tubular steel poles (95-foot average height) that would replace 16 existing 69 kV wood H-frame structures and five wood monopoles. Two tubular steel poles would replace two existing wood cable poles outside the Peñasquitos Substation. Existing shield wire on top of existing 230-kV steel lattice towers would be replaced with new optical ground wire.

Sycamore Canyon Substation. SDG&E would modify Sycamore Canyon Substation to facilitate the new 230-kV transmission line connection. Modifications would include transferring five existing transmission lines from existing bay positions to new bay positions, and adding a new circuit breaker.

Peñasquitos Substation. SDG&E would modify Peñasquitos Substation to facilitate the new 230-kV transmission line connection. Modifications would include adding two circuit breakers and four disconnects.

San Luis Rey and Mission Substations. Minor alterations may be made to these substations, including adjusting relays and upgrading protection on remaining lines.

Temporary Staging Yards. The Proposed Project would utilize approximately 25 acres of temporary construction staging yards for vehicles equipment refueling, pole assemblage, open storage of material and equipment, construction trailers, portable restrooms, parking, lighting, possibly generator use for temporary power in construction trailers, and incidental landing areas for helicopters. Four staging yards have been identified by SDG&E at this time, including the Stonebridge Parkway, Stowe, Torrey Santa Fe, and Carmel Valley Road Staging Yards. Refer to Figures 2 through 4 for staging yard locations. A potential fifth staging yard at Carmel Mountain Road has been dropped from the Proposed Project due to site development. Additional staging yards may be proposed by SDG&E.

Access Roads. Construction would primarily take place within the existing SDG&E ROW easements and access roads and public roadways. Most work areas would be accessible by vehicle on unpaved SDG&E-maintained access roads or by overland travel. Access roads would be used for vehicle parking and turn-around, and specific construction site staging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Application and Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA)

SDG&E filed an application (A.14-04-011) for a CPCN and Proponent's Environmental Assessment for the Project on April 7, 2014. The PEA is a starting point for the independent environmental review process conducted by the CPUC. The application was deemed complete on July 24, 2014.

Deficiencies, Data Requests, and Responses

The CPUC Environmental Review Team submitted data requests to the applicant for specific information to support the environmental review process. Those requests and the applicant's responses are published below.

For Additional Information

Additional information will be posted on this site as it becomes publicly available. Project-related questions may be directed to the CPUC via one of the contact methods below.

San Diego Gas & Electric