STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Introduction and Background

Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC") web page for the environmental review of the NextEra Energy Transmission West, LLC ("NEET West," or the "Applicant") proposed Suncrest Dynamic Reactive Power Support Project (the “Proposed Project”). The CPUC is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") for the Proposed Project, and is therefore responsible for evaluating the Proposed Project’s potential environmental impacts.

The Proposed Project originates from the California Independent System Operator’s ("CAISO’s") 2013-2014 transmission planning process, which identified the need for a 300-million volt-ampere reactive (megavar)⁽¹⁾ dynamic reactive device at the existing Suncrest Substation’s 230 kilovolt (kV) bus⁽²⁾ to meet California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). CAISO determined that the retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and projected increases in renewable generating capacity in the Imperial Valley would cause loading and voltage stability issues in the transmission system in the area of the existing Suncrest Substation. CAISO conducted a competitive bid solicitation process for the Suncrest dynamic reactive facility and selected NEET West to construct the Proposed Project.

Following its selection by CAISO in January 2015 as the approved project sponsor, NEET West submitted to CPUC a Proponent’s Environmental Assessment ("PEA") in August 2015 as part of its application (A.15-08-027) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity ("CPCN"), as specified in CPUC General Order ("G.O.") 131-D. CPUC subsequently prepared an EIR for the Proposed Project, and, on October 2, 2018, issued its Decision approving the Proposed Project. Project documents are available below under Quick Links. Additional information on the Proposed Project and the CPUC’s environmental review process are also provided below.

Quick Links

• CPUC Proceeding No. A.15-08-027
• Resolution ALJ 176-3363, dated September 17, 2015, regarding preliminary determinations of category and need for hearing for proceedings [241 KB]
• Proponent's Environmental Assessment, dated August 31, 2015
• PEA, Including Appendices [76.8 MB]
• PEA Only [24.5 MB]
• PEA Appendices Only [52.8 MB]
• Deficiency Letter, dated October 1, 2015, from CPUC to NEET West regarding completeness review of NEET West application (A.15-08-027) and PEA [72 KB]
• NEET West Response to Deficiency Letter, dated November 13, 2015, to Deficiency Letter [375 KB]
• Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Determination Letter, dated November 6, 2015 [21 KB]
• Letter Deeming Application Complete, dated December 11, 2015 [23 KB]
• Notice of Preparation, dated January 5, 2016 [835 KB]
• Draft Environmental Impact Report
• Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Report
• Final Environmental Impact Report
  • Volume 1 - Main Body
  • Volume 2- Appendices
  • Volume 3 - Comments and Response to Comments on Draft EIR
• Decision Approving Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Suncrest Dynamic Reactive Power Support Project
• Notice to Proceed (NTP) Request Letter, dated October 19, 2018
• NTP Letter, dated December 12, 2018
• Mitigation, Monitoring, Compliance and Reporting Program
  • Appendix A: Construction Work Area Drawings
  • Appendix B: Mitigation Measure Compliance Tracking Table
  • Appendix C: Project Contacts (Confidential)
  • Appendix D: Weekly Compliance Checklist Form
  • Appendix E: Minor Project Refinement Form
  • Appendix F: Temporary Extra Work Space Request Form F
• Compliance Documentation
  • Rare Plant Survey Report
  • Hermes Copper Butterfly Habitat Survey Report
  • Bat Survey Report
  • Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Plan
    • Attachment A: Environmental Emergency Telephone List
    • Attachment B: Spill or Release Notification Form
    • Attachment C: Hazardous Materials Communication Plan
  • Construction Fire Prevention Plan
  • Construction Noise Mitigation Plan
  • Construction and Demolition Debris Management Plan
  • Traffic Control Plan
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
    • Signature Pages
    • Appendices
  • Supervisory Environmental Training Program Presentation
  • Environmental Training Brochure
  • Hardhat Sticker Proofs
  • Example Resident Notification Letter
  • Pre-Construction Survey Results Memorandum
  • General Blasting Safety Plan
  • 2019 Rare Plant Survey Memorandum

Minor Project Refinements

Project Objectives

The objectives of the Proposed Project are as follows:

• Provide reactive support at or connected to the Suncrest Substation;
• Improve and maintain the reliability of the transmission grid;
• Support achievement of the State’s RPS by facilitating delivery of a higher percentage of renewable energy generation from the Imperial Valley area to population centers to the west.

Proposed Project

Project Description

The Proposed Project includes two primary components: (1) a Static Var Compensator ("SVC") facility, to be located approximately one mile east of the existing Suncrest Substation, and (2) a 230kV transmission line from the proposed SVC facility to the existing substation. The proposed SVC facility would produce and consume reactive power and would interconnect with Suncrest Substation via the approximately one-mile-long 230kV transmission line. The 230kV transmission line would be installed primarily underground, beneath an existing private road (Bell Bluff Truck Trail), with the last approximately 300 feet of the transmission line transitioning above-ground via a riser pole and an intermediate pole to connect with the existing substation. The proposed SVC facility would be approximately 6 acres in total size and would be located on an area previously used as a construction staging and materials storage area during construction of Suncrest Substation (completed in 2012).

Project Location

The Proposed Project would be located in unincorporated south-central San Diego County, approximately 3.75 miles southeast of the community of Alpine, off of Bell Bluff Truck Trail road. The lands surrounding the Proposed Project are primarily undeveloped, with some rural-residential development present to the east and south, and the existing Suncrest Substation at the Proposed Project’s western terminus. Interstate 8 is located approximately 1.8 miles north of the Proposed Project area, and Japatul Valley Road (State Highway 79) is located approximately 1.2 miles to the southeast. The Proposed Project would be located on private property within the administrative boundary of the Cleveland National Forest.

Environmental Review

Overview

The CPUC has completed its environmental review of the Proposed Project. As the lead agency under CEQA, CPUC conducted an independent analysis of the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Project and prepared an appropriate CEQA document based on the potential for significant environmental effects.

Based on its review of the Proposed Project as a whole, CPUC determined that the Proposed Project could have a significant impact on the environment and prepared an EIR. Information on the EIR process is provided below.

Scoping Meeting and Public Comment Opportunity

The CPUC held a public scoping meeting for the Proposed Project as follows:

The public scoping meeting provided interested members of the public with the opportunity to submit oral or written comments on the Proposed Project and the scope and nature of issues to be evaluated in the EIR. The meeting format consisted of a presentation providing an overview of the Proposed Project and the environmental review process, followed by receipt of public comments.

Draft EIR Process

Following the close of the scoping period, and based in part on the information provided in scoping comments, CPUC staff and consultants prepared a draft EIR. The draft EIR evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Project, consistent with the CEQA Guidelines. On November 23, 2016, CPUC published the draft EIR. The comment period closed on January 10, 2017. The draft EIR is available online by clicking here.

Information Workshop

An informational public workshop on the draft EIR was held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on December 8, 2016, at the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine, CA 91901. The workshop 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.

Comments on the draft EIR were accepted until 5:00 pm, January 10, 2017, by CPUC.

Public Comments on the Draft EIR

CPUC received a number of comments on the Draft EIR. To view these comments, please click here. The documents cited in the California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE) Comment Letter were submitted by CURE in full and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Final EIR and Certification Process

CPUC staff and consultants prepared a final EIR. The final EIR (which can be downloaded in the Quick Links section above) included responses to all comments received on the draft EIR during the public review period and will described changes made to the draft EIR based on comments received or at the discretion of CPUC. Following completion of the final EIR, CPUC sent its responses to commenting agencies, consistent with the requirements of CEQA. On September 27, 2018, CPUC certified the final EIR for the Proposed Project, and, on October 2, 2018, issued its final Decision approving the Proposed Project.

Construction Monitoring

The Proposed Project began construction in early 2019. The construction process is estimated to take approximately a year, and is anticipated to be completed late 2019 or early 2020. NEET West will be responsible for fully implementing the mitigation measures included in the Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Proposd Project, which was included as part of the EIR (Appendix L). CPUC will monitor NEET West's compliance and, as the lead agency under CEQA, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the MMRP is fully implemented.

The Mitigation, Monitoring, Compliance and Reporting Program (MMCRP) is the CPUC's framework for ensuring environmental compliance for projects during construction. The MMCRP for the Proposed Project is available for viewing/download at the Quick Links above, and provides additional information on the project schedule, monitoring requirements, communication protocols, and other procedures to be followed during the Project construction period. Appendix B of the MMCRP documents compliance with specific mitigation measures and associated monitoring actions. This appendix will be continuously updated throughout the course of the construction process as items are completed.

For Additional Information

The CPUC's Environmental Review Team can be contacted as follows:

The CPUC's project manager for the Proposed Project is:

Rob Peterson
Energy Division
Infrastructure Permitting and CEQA
300 Capitol Mall, Suite 418
Sacramento, CA 95814

Notes:
⁽¹⁾ Volt-ampere reactive ("var") is a unit by which reactive power is expressed in an alternating current ("AC") electric power system. Reactive power exists in an AC circuit when the current and voltage are not in phase. In an electric transmission system, reactive power serves to support the voltage levels needed to maintain system reliability. "Megavar" means one million vars.
⁽²⁾ A bus or busbar is a metallic strip or bar that conducts electricity within a substation or other electrical apparatus. Buses are often the connection points for incoming transmission lines into a substation.