SAN DIEGO, Nov 9, 2005 -- PRIMEZONE

 

With input from community and business leaders, and the general public, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has mapped out broad potential route corridors for the proposed Sunrise Powerlink electrical transmission line.

The project will serve as a new energy superhighway to dramatically improve the reliability of the region's electrical transmission grid, according to David L. Geier, SDG&E's vice president of electric transmission and distribution. The line also will provide access to available and proposed electricity from environmentally friendly resources such as solar, geothermal and wind power for the region. Furthermore, it will allow the region to tap into lower-priced sources of energy developed elsewhere.

The route corridors will be unveiled and discussed at a second round of public meetings to begin Nov. 14. Other project elements, such as transmission pole structure types, also will be reviewed. The goal is to narrow down specific routing options for the line, which would stretch about 120 miles from the Imperial Valley to San Diego County.

SDG&E has invited representatives of community groups, consumer organizations, elected officials, and local, state and federal agencies to continue a public dialogue about the utility's plans to build the Sunrise Powerlink, which would import enough power for about 650,000 SDG&E customers in Southern California.

"Public input has been tremendously helpful as we plan the route for the Sunrise Powerlink," said Geier. "Comments we received during the first workshops and open houses helped refine the criteria we used to identify the potential route corridors. The information gathered from the next series of public meetings will help us identify the ultimate route."

SDG&E is grappling with numerous issues as it plans the route, including topography, state and federal park lands, Indian reservations, and urban planned communities, among others. The second round of meetings will help narrow the options for the route.

SDG&E's Imperial Valley substation has been selected as the starting point for the line. The final route will be determined in first quarter 2006 after the public process is completed.

SDG&E first announced the project Aug. 31 and plans to file a formal application for the line with the California Public Utilities Commission in mid-2006. To launch its public involvement efforts, SDG&E invited more than 150 stakeholder agencies and individuals to participate in the first Community Working Group sessions in October to evaluate the constraints and opportunities involved in the siting process.

The second Community Working Group sessions will be held at the times and locations listed below. A third session will be scheduled in early 2006.

SDG&E also has scheduled four more public Open Houses, which offer an opportunity for those interested to talk one-on-one about the project with the project team. The open houses will be held:

All working group sessions and open houses are open to the public. Those who cannot attend the meetings can learn more about the project and provide their input by contacting SDG&E through the project's toll-free information line, (877) 775-6818, or by visiting the project Website, www.sdge.com/sunrisepowerlink .

SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.2 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 800,000 natural gas meters. The company's service territory encompasses 4,100 square miles in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com .

This news release was distributed by PrimeZone, www.primezone.com

SOURCE: San Diego Gas & Electric

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