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PG&E Returns to Community for Feedback on Proposed Bakersfield-Area Infrastructure Project
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Delivering safe and reliable electric service is a top priority for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Bakersfield Power Connect, a proposed new electric infrastructure project, will do just that. After introducing the project last fall, PG&E will now return to the community for a second round of open houses to seek additional input on potential project locations and design options.
Bakersfield Power Connect includes the construction of a new substation, enhancements to existing substations and upgrades to 30 miles of existing transmission lines in the area. The input PG&E received during the first phase of outreach contributed to the selection of potential substation site locations and design options. PG&E will share these results with the community and gather feedback to further refine the project and select a proposed site and alternatives.
“The proposed Bakersfield Power Connect project is a key component of our efforts to meet the needs of the region’s growing population and economy. We gained valuable insight from customers during our first round of outreach, and we are looking forward to hearing their thoughts on the potential sites and designs we will present in order to develop the best project possible for the area,” said Denise Newton, senior manager of PG&E’s Kern Division.
PG&E invites the community to attend an open house meeting to discuss the project and provide feedback on potential substation locations.
PG&E Bakersfield Power Connect Open Houses
Wednesday, January 13; 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Tevis Junior High School, Multi-Purpose Room
3901 Pin Oak Park Blvd., Bakersfield
Thursday, January 14; 5–8 p.m.
Friendship House Community Center, Gymnasium
2424 Cottonwood Rd., Bakersfield
PG&E is committed to siting and designing the project in a manner that avoids and minimizes environmental impacts. Eight potential site alternatives were studied, seven of which will be presented at the open houses. It is anticipated that three to four of these sites will be carried forward and be subject to more robust environmental analysis in order to identify a proposed site.
Potential sites were selected based on proximity to existing transmission lines and ranked based on a stringent set of criteria, including conflicts with established land uses and infrastructure, effects on agricultural operations and impacts to nearby communities, among several other considerations. In addition to the potential substation sites, design options for rerouting minor portions of existing transmission lines that currently traverse industrial properties will be presented.
PG&E will continue to engage with the community throughout the development of the project. These open houses represent the second phase of PG&E’s three-part outreach program. PG&E will use the feedback gathered during this process to design a project with the least overall impact. The project will be submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the state agency with jurisdiction over transmission projects of this type, for additional environmental review and public comment. The CPUC has final approval over the project, including the location of the substation.
In addition to the open houses, the project team continues to hold stakeholder meetings and engage with the local community. Residents who are unable to attend the open houses can obtain more information on the project website at pge.com/bakersfieldpc.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.
