Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the proposed LS Power Grid California, LLC (LSPGC) Power Santa Clara Valley Project (Project). LSPGC filed an Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Authorizing Construction of the Project on April 29, 2024 (Application A.24-04-017). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.
CPUC Review Process
Following receipt of a complete application, the CPUC conducts two parallel processes when considering development proposed by a regulated utility:(1) an application process, in which the CPUC reviews the utility’s proposal and considers whether the project is needed and is in the public interest; and
(2) an environmental review process pursuant to CEQA.
The CPCN application process focuses on utility ratepayer and public benefit issues and is undertaken by the CPUC’s Administrative Law Judges Division. The CEQA process for utility applications is led by the CPUC’s Energy Division. The CPUC will use the CEQA document in conjunction with other information prepared for the CPUC’s formal record to act on LSPGC’s application.
Click here for more information about the CPUC’s decision and review process.
The proceeding schedule is managed on the docket card for the application
Click here for information and documents associated with the CPUC’s proceeding for the Project.
Introduction and Background
LSPGC, in its CPUC application (A.24-04-017), filed on April 29, 2024, requests a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Construction of the Power Santa Clara Valley Project. The CPUC conducts a thorough Environmental Review process as part of the CPCN procedure. This regulatory process evaluates whether there is a demonstrated need for a proposed utility project in the public interest. The CPUC accesses factors such as demand forecasts, environmental impacts and alternatives before granting or denying the certificate.
After LSPGC filed its CPUC application, on November 12, 2024, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Board of Governors approved a modified version of the Project. Meeting minutes of the CAISO Board of Governors meeting can be viewed here. A recording of the meeting is available for viewing here. The following description of the Project below reflects the approved changes.
The Project would include two new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) terminals and associated new transmission lines. The new transmission lines would include an approximately 13-mile Grove to Skyline 320 kilovolt (kV) direct current (DC) underground transmission line connecting the southern terminal, the proposed new Grove terminal, to the northern terminal, the proposed new Skyline terminal; an approximately 100-foot overhead Skyline to San Jose B 230 kV alternating current (AC) station transmission tie line connecting the new Skyline terminal to the existing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) San Jose B substation; and an approximately 1.2-mile Metcalf to Grove 500 kV AC underground transmission line connecting the new Grove terminal to the existing PG&E Metcalf substation. The Project would be located in the City of San José and Santa Clara County in California.
The application includes a Proponent’s Environmental Assessment (PEA) prepared pursuant to Rule 2.4 of the CPUC's Rules of Practice and Procedure. The proposed Project was approved by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to ensure the reliability of the CAISO-controlled grid.
As identified by LSPGC, the project would:
Environmental Review
As the CEQA Lead Agency, the CPUC will prepare an EIR to evaluate the environmental effects of the proposed project. The following table includes milestones and anticipated dates for the CEQA review process.
| Project Milestones as of February 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Milestone | Date |
| Application and PEA submitted by LSPGC to CPUC | April 29, 2024 |
| Deficiency Letter Issued by CPUC to LSPGC | May 29, 2024 |
| Application Deemed Complete by CPUC | June 27, 2024 |
| Notice of Preparation and Scoping
|
September 6, 2024 - October 7, 2024 |
| CAISO Board of Governors Decision | November 12, 2024 |
| Publication of Draft EIR | 3rd Quarter 2025* | Public CEQA Review Period (45 days) | 3rd Quarter 2025* | Publication of Final EIR | 4th Quarter 2025* | CPUC Certification of Final EIR and CPUC Decision | 1st Quarter 2026* | Start of Construction | Anticipated 2026* |
*Estimated
EIR Scoping
Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
The CPUC has prepared a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an EIR for the Project to solicit agency and public input on the scope of the EIR. The NOP may be viewed here. During the scoping period, beginning September 6, 2024, and ending October 7, 2024, all interested parties, including responsible and trustee agencies, groups, and the public, are invited to provide input on the scope of the EIR. The Spanish version of the NOP may be viewed here.
Scoping Meeting and Scoping Report
In order for the public and agencies to have an opportunity to submit verbal comments on the scope of the EIR, an in-person meeting was held on September 18th, 2024, which was also available via Zoom link and telephone.
The scoping meeting presentation is available for viewing here. The Scoping Report (dated November 2024) describes the process of scoping and summarizes comments received during the scoping period and is available for viewing here.
It should be noted that the Scoping Report and presentation reflect the Project design submitted in the original CPCN application on April 29, 2024. The approved changes from CAISO’s Board of Governors’ meeting on November 12, 2024, is the design that will be fully described and analyzed in the Project’s EIR.
Documents Available for Review
Public documents related to the Proposed Project and PEA for the Power Santa Clara Valley Project can be found here:
LSPGC CPCN Application (April 29, 2024)
Proponent’s Environmental Assessment PEA (April 29, 2024)
PEA Appendix 1-A Figures
PEA Appendix 3-A Construction Equipment and Workforce Table
PEA Appendix 5.3-A Air Quality and GHG Modeling Files
PEA Appendix 5.4-A Biological Resources Technical Report
PEA Appendix 5.5-A-E Cultural Resources Technical Report (confidential not posted)
PEA Appendix 5.6-A Fuel Use Calculations
PEA Appendix 5.7-A Paleontological Resources Technical Report
PEA Appendix 5.9-A ERIS Corridor Report (HazMat)
PEA Appendix 5.9-B Hazardous Materials Sites Summary Table
PEA Appendix 5.9-C Preliminary Induction Study
PEA Appendix 5.13-A Noise Measurements
PEA Appendix 5.16-A Existing Recreational Uses Table
PEA Appendix 5.18-A Sacred Lands File Search Request and Results, Appendix B NAHC Contacts List and Appendix C Tribal Communication (confidential not posted)
PEA Appendix 5.20-A Wildfire Behavior Modeling and Hazard Assessment
PEA Appendix 7-A Cumulative Projects Table
PEA Appendix C Map of the Project
PEA Appendix G Electric and Magnetic Fields Management Plan
CPUC PEA Deficiency Letter (May 29, 2024)
LSPGC Response to Deficiency Report Letter
LSPGC Response to Deficiency Report Table
Attachment A – PM2.5 Dispersion Modeling Files
Attachment B – Updated PEA Table 5.5-2
Attachment C – Cultural Resources Site Specific Impact Analysis (CONFIDENTIAL; not suitable for posting)
Attachment D – Proposed Project Archaeologist Contact Information (CONFIDENTIAL; not suitable for posting)
Attachment E – Copies of Correspondence with Native American Tribes (CONFIDENTIAL; not suitable for posting)
Attachment F – List of Transit Stops Potentially Affected
Attachment G – Updated PEA References
Attachment H – PEA Electronic References (file not suitable for posting)
CPUC PEA Completeness Letter (June 27, 2024)
CPUC Project Description Data Request No.1
LSPGC Response #1 to Project Description Data Request No. 1
LSPGC Response #2 to Project Description Data Request No. 1
LSPGC Response #3 to Project Description Data Request No. 1
CPUC Data Request No.2
LSPGC Response to Project Description Data Request No. 2
For Additional Information
The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is managing the environmental review of the Project. To request additional information, or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us:
Project email: PowerSCV@esassoc.com
Project phone number: (408) 450-7233
The CPUC’s Project Manager is:
Tharon Wright
California Public Utilities Commission
Infrastructure Planning and CEQ, Energy Division
300 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
Email:
tharon.wright@cpuc.ca.gov