Paso Robles Area Power Connect

PG&E's Paso Robles Area Power Connect is the 70 kV transmission line component of the Estrella Substation and Paso Robles Area Reinforcement project. It will include building a new 70 kV transmission line and upgrading existing transmission lines, which, in conjunction with NextEra Energy Transmission West's (NEET West) proposed electric substation, will connect a new transmission source to the local electric grid. The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's electric grid, selected NEET West and PG&E to build new electric infrastructure to strengthen the local electric grid and help ensure that electricity continues to be reliably delivered to Paso Robles and the surrounding communities.

The proposed upgrades are a key component of our efforts to continue to provide a highly reliable and stable electricity source for the region's residents and growing economy. The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's electric grid, identified the need for upgrades to the local electric system to ensure long-term electric reliability in the Paso Robles community and surrounding areas in its 2013-2014 Transmission Planning Cycle. The proposed upgrades to the local power grid will also help ensure the system remains compliant with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation's reliability standards.

The proposed upgrades will occur along a new transmission line route that will join our existing Morro Bay-Gates 230 kV and San Miguel-Paso Robles 70 kV transmission systems. The final route will be selected by the CPUC, though we expect the new transmission line to cross Paso Robles and unincorporated San Luis Obispo County.

In addition, we will be upgrading a portion of the San Miguel-Paso Robles 70 kV transmission line.

In late January 2017, NEET West and PG&E jointly submitted a formal project application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which PG&E is supporting through Paso Robles Area Power Connect, the proposed new 70 kV transmission line portion of the project. The filing of the project application and Proponents’ Environmental Assessment (PEA) places the project in the hands of the CPUC, the regulatory body with jurisdiction over the siting and routing of this type of project. The CPUC will base its decision on the project on evidence it gathers through its regulatory and environmental review process, including comments and other evidence submitted to the CPUC by parties to this proceeding and members of the general public. Note that comments and information submitted to PG&E are not part of the formal administrative record the CPUC will use to make its decision on the project. To be sure your voice is heard, we urge you to learn about the CPUC’s process and find out when there are opportunities for public input.

For more information about the CPUC’s regulatory and environmental review process, including the CPUC-led public participation program, visit the CPUC website. The CPUC will now serve as the primary point of contact for comments on the project, and you can contact the CPUC at (844) 211-7510 or email at estrellaproject@horizonh2o.com or mail to Rob Peterson, CPUC (c/o Tom Engels), Horizon Water and Environment, LLC, 266 Grand Avenue, Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94610. To obtain additional information on the proposed project, please visit the CPUC Energy Division CEQA project website.

In late January 2017, NEET West and PG&E submitted a joint application for the project to the CPUC, the state agency responsible for making a final decision on the project, for review and approval. Please check the CPUC website for more information about their process, including a timeline and upcoming events. If the CPUC approves the project, the California Independent System Operator‘s (CAISO) proposed in service date is 2019.

Visit the CPUC website

The CPUC will ultimately decide what types of structures to use for the Estrella Substation and Paso Robles Area Reinforcement Project. In the application submitted to the CPUC, PG&E included light duty steel poles, which look similar to wood poles, or tubular steel poles for the new 70 kV transmission line and reconductoring work. For the new line, the average pole height will be 91 feet for light-duty steel poles and 93 feet for tubular steel poles. All poles will comply with legal and safety requirements. In addition, PG&E is proposing to install six towers for the 230 kV transmission line interconnection in order to match the existing towers currently in place.

The filing of the project application and PEA places the project in the hands of the CPUC, the regulatory body with jurisdiction over the siting and routing of this type of project. The CPUC will base its decision on the project on evidence it gathers through its regulatory and environmental review process, including comments and other evidence submitted to the CPUC by parties to this proceeding and members of the general public. Note that comments and information submitted to PG&E are not part of the formal administrative record the CPUC will use to make its decision on the project. To be sure your voice is heard, we urge you to learn about the CPUC’s process and find out when there are opportunities for public input.
For more information about the CPUC’s regulatory and environmental review process, including the CPUC-led public participation program, visit the CPUC website. The CPUC will now serve as the primary point of contact for comments on the project, and you can contact the CPUC at (844) 211-7510 or email at estrellaproject@horizonh2o.com or mail to Rob Peterson, CPUC (c/o Tom Engels), Horizon Water and Environment, LLC, 266 Grand Avenue, Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94610. To obtain additional information on the proposed project, please visit the CPUC Energy Division CEQA project website.

VISIT THE CPUC ENERGY DIVISION CEQA PROJECT WEBSITE

PG&E recognizes customer concern about the issue of Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) from power lines and substations and is committed to complying with the CPUC's EMF policies. It is important to remember that we live with EMF every day. EMF is present wherever there is electric current and can be found in homes, offices and schools – or anywhere an electric current is present. With that being said, protecting the health and safety of the local community is of the utmost importance to the project team. Estrella Substation and Paso Robles Area Reinforcement Project will fully comply with the CPUC's EMF policies, which are the most proactive in the United States and continue to be supported by scientific research. PG&E provides free magnetic field measurements upon request, EMF health literature and support for EMF research. For more information on EMF, please visit our EMF page.