contractors, is the lead state agency for the SLTP. Western determined that either
a 230-kV or a 500-kV transmission line will satisfy. Reclamation's request.
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San Luis Transmission ID Project Efficient, reliable and cost-effective Western Area Power Administration is proposing to build a new 62-mile, electric transmission line to continue to provide the electricity necessary for the economical and reliable delivery of federal water supplies to Central Valley, Central Coast and Bay Area residents, businesses and farms.
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Project background Western’s transmission contract with Pacific Gas & Electric Co., under which power is transmitted to the San Luis Unit at the federal Central Valley Project, will end in spring 2016. The proposed transmission line will maximize use of existing transmission
Tracy
corridors and parallel existing transmission facilities, and run from Western’s Tracy
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Substation in the north to the Los Banos and San Luis substations in the south. The
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transmission line is intended to minimize expected power delivery cost increases and provide cost stability for operating the San Luis Unit. The project also will greatly expand renewable energy economic development opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley by enhancing transmission access. Western is a federal agency, one of four power marketing administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy, whose role is to market and deliver clean, renewable, reliable, cost-based federal hydroelectric power from multi-use water projects. As a wholesale power provider, Western delivers power from 56 power plants operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal entities, including the Central Valley Project in California.
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Western is the lead federal agency for the San Luis Transmission Project, developing the project for the Bureau of Reclamation and its San Luis Unit of the Central Valley Project. The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, which serves many of the federal water
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contractors, is the lead state agency for the SLTP.
Western determined that either a 230-kV or a 500-kV transmission line will satisfy Reclamation’s request. Western is currently conducting all appropriate environmental reviews
and plays an
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of the project and project alternatives to identify the most environmentally and economically sustainable option.
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Reclamation requested that Western develop this transmission project to replace its expiring PG&E contract. Duke-American Transmission Co. also has an active Transmission Service Request with Western for enough capacity to support the development of a 500-kV
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transmission line. Working with Reclamation, its water contractors represented by the Water
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Authority and DATC to build a 500-kV line will provide additional benefits to water customers as well as stakeholders across California. This approach makes efficient use of the existing
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grid by upsizing the project to provide unused capacity to meet future needs.
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Economic, reliability benefits of 500 kV Construction of the San Luis Transmission Project is the least cost and most reliable long-term option for local water agencies and California electric users. Specifically, the line will enhance delivery of low cost Western power for use by San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast and Bay Area water agencies and farms. Upsizing the project to 500 kV will ensure the transmission line will meet current — and future — needs. In addition, building the project at 500 kV fully conforms with state energy policies that encourage new transmission projects to be located near or within existing corridors. A 500-kV transmission line will:
• Provide cost certainty: Limits cost increases for water customers and provides long term cost stability
• Enhance reliability: Strengthens the transmission corridor between Tracy and Los Banos areas and enhances delivery of energy and water supplies
• Enable renewable energy: Strategically positions the San Joaquin Valley for expansion of renewable energy projects and expands transmission access and flexibility to help the state meet its renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals
• Strengthen the transmission grid: Enhances energy movement from Southern California to Northern California and improves transmission system reliability in the entire San Joaquin Valley and prevents catastrophic outages
• Use an existing corridor: Maximizes efficient use of an existing transmission corridor in order to minimize costs and environmental impacts
• Promote economic development: Precludes the need for future costlier upgrades to accommodate additional capacity and development. The project will provide hundreds of direct jobs during construction. Upsizing the project to 500 kV will facilitate additional renewable energy projects and associated construction jobs throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
E nvironmental review As the lead federal agency for the National Environmental Policy Act environmental review process, Western will identify and analyze environmental resources in the project area and evaluate potential impacts related to construction and operation of the project. The Water Authority will serve as the lead agency for the California Environmental Quality Act review process. This comprehensive environmental review process will include mitigation measures, where appropriate.
Additional resources
• San Luis Transmission Project and environmental permitting information: sltpeis-eir.com • National Environmental Policy Act process: energy.gov/nepa • Western Area Power Authority: wapa.gov • Duke-American Transmission Co.: datcllc.com • Bureau of Reclamation: usbr.gov • San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority: sldmwa.org
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