Welcome to the California
Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of proposed construction of
Southern California Edison (SCE) Triton Substation Project. An
application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on November 21,
2008 (Application
A.08-11-019). This site provides access to public documents
and information relevant to the CEQA review process.
Background
Southern California Edison (SCE) has filed an application with the CPUC
to construct the Triton Substation project for a new 56 megavolt ampere
(MVA) 115/12 kilovolt (kV) unattended substation (Triton Substation)
that would serve the cities of Temecula, Murrieta, and unincorporated
southwestern Riverside County. The Triton Substation is proposed to be
built on an approximately 10-acre parcel at the southeast corner of
Nicolas Road and Calle Medusa in Temecula, California. Click
here for a map showing the location of the proposed site.
The proposed project would also include construction of a 115 kV
loop-in from the existing Valley-Auld-Pauba 115 kV subtransmission line
into the new substation, two new underground 12 kV distribution duct
banks, and a telecommunications system to connect the proposed Triton
Substation to the existing Auld and Moraga substations. SCE’s existing
Canine 33/12 kV Substation in Temecula would also be retired when the
Triton Substation is operational. SCE has designed the Triton
Substation to eventually expand to 112 MVA at some future date,
depending on need.
SCE currently forecasts that the demand in the service area may exceed
the designed operating limits of the existing distribution facilities
as early as the summer of 2010. SCE has designed the project to meet
the long-term forecasted electrical demands of the cities of Temecula,
Murrieta, and adjacent areas of unincorporated southwestern Riverside
County while maintaining system reliability and enhancing operational
flexibility. SCE initially proposed to construct the project from
approximately October 2009 to May 2010. If the CPUC approves the
project, the earliest construction would begin would be spring 2010. If
approved, construction is estimated to take 8 months. The estimated
cost of the proposed Triton Substation is approximately $29.9 million
in 2008 constant dollars.
Application and Proponent’s Environmental
Assessment (PEA)
The application
(3.3 MB) and PEA
(11.5 MB) for the Triton Substation Project are available to view.
The CPUC sent SCE a deficiency
letter on December 22, 2008. The CPUC
found the application and the additional information that SCE submitted
in response to satisfy the Commission’s Information and Criteria List
and determined it to be complete on April 30, 2009.
Preparation of Draft MND/IS
As the lead CEQA agency, the CPUC circulated a Draft Mitigated Negative
Declaration (Draft MND) and supporting Initial Study (IS) on November
18, 2009. The Draft MND/IS describes the project, evaluates potential
environmental impacts, identifies impacts that could be significant,
and presents mitigation measures that would avoid or reduce potential
impacts to less than significant levels.
Click on the links below to download each chapter of the Draft
Mitigated Negative Declaration / Initial
Study:
Cover
Draft
Mitigated Negative Declaration
Table
of Contents
1.0
Background Information
2.0
Environmental Determination
3.0
Evaluation of Environmental Impacts (4.9 MB)
4.0
List of Preparers, Agencies, and Persons Contacted
5.0
Mitigation Monitoring, Reporting, and Compliance Plan
Appendix
A Review of Alternative Substation Locations
Appendix
B Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Appendix
C Biological Survey Maps (10 MB)
Public Comment Period and Preparation of the
Final MND/IS
The circulation of the Draft MND/IS opened a public comment period on
the Triton Substation project from November 18, 2009, through December
17, 2009. During the public comment period, the CPUC hosted a public
meeting on Monday, December 7, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Calvary
Baptist Church of Temecula, where the CPUC invited interested parties
to present comments about the project and Draft MND/IS.
During the comment period, in addition to the oral comments made at the
public meeting, the CPUC received comments via mail, email, and
voicemail. Following the public comment period, the CPUC prepared a
Final MND/IS that addresses comments received on the Draft MND/IS. The
CPUC circulated the Final MND/IS on March 10,
2010. There is no comment period for the Final MND.
Availability of Final MND/IS
Click on the links below to download each chapter of the Final
Mitigated Negative Declaration / Initial Study:
Cover
Cover
Letter
Mitigated
Negative Declaration
Table
of Contents
1.0
Background Information
2.0
Environmental Determination
3.0
Evaluation of Environmental Impacts (5.2 MB)
4.0
List of Preparers, Agencies, and Persons Contacted
5.0
Mitigation Monitoring, Reporting, and Compliance Plan
6.0
Responses to Comments (8.8 MB)
Appendix
A Review of Alternative Substation Locations
Appendix
B Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Appendix
C Biological Survey Maps (6.8 MB)
Copies of the Final MND/IS will also be available for review at the
Temecula Public Library and on the project website.
Temecula
Public Library
30600 Pauba Road
Temecula, CA 92592-6206
(951) 693-8900
CPUC Actions After Final MND/IS Circulation and
Public Involvement in CPUC General Proceeding
The assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) may
seek further briefings or testimony on issues associated with the
project, including information on the legal validity of the MND/IS or
any other topic pertaining to the issuance of the Permit to Construct.
If the ALJ intends to take further evidence relating to the project
then she will convene a pre-hearing conference to allow parties to set
out their issues and to establish a timetable for briefing on these
issues. Upon completion of briefs the ALJ will then write the proposed
decision which may include the recommendation that the Commission adopt
and certify the MND/IS.
The Commissioners will evaluate the proposed decision, and may propose
alternative decisions. The Commissioners will then vote on whether to
issue a Permit to Construct for the Triton Substation.
The decision will be announced and published concurrent with a
scheduled CPUC Meeting. Within 30 days after the Decision is issued by
the CPUC, parties can apply for rehearing.
If the CPUC approves the proposed project, the CPUC will implement a
Mitigation, Monitoring, Reporting, and Compliance Plan. This plan will
ensure that the approved project is constructed as defined, and that
all adopted mitigation measures and project design features the
applicant committed to are implemented to ensure that effects on the
environment do not exceed those described in the MND/IS.
Other Documents Available
Deficiency
Letter (December 22, 2008)
SCE
fact sheet (April 2008)
SCE
project update (October 2008)
Public
Meeting Transcript (December 7, 2009)
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: triton@ene.com
Project fax: (415) 981-0801
Project voicemail (toll-free): (877) 651-3666
The CPUC’s Project Manager is:
Iain Fisher,
CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
tel. (415) 355-5580
fax (415) 703-2200
email: AEI@cpuc.ca.gov |
