Gorman - Kern River Project

About the Project

The Gorman-Kern River Project aims to increase the safety of Southern California Edison’s (SCE’s) subtransmission system as part of SCE’s Transmission Line Rating Remediation (TLRR) program. The project is in the initial planning phase now. SCE plans to file a project application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2021. If approved by the CPUC, the project could begin construction in 2024.

If approved, the project would follow updated safety standards from the CPUC, which involve remediation activities such as raising the height of existing structures, rebuilding entire circuits and increasing conductor ground clearances. Most of the construction would take place in existing rights of way, in order to minimize environmental impacts. The project is estimated to be completed in 2026.

The project is located in the central portion of Kern County and the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, near the cities of Bakersfield, Arvin and Tehachapi and nearby communities of Grapevine and Gorman. It would start at the Kern River Substation located 13 miles northeast of Bakersfield, and would extend south to the Gorman Substation, about two miles east of the community of Gorman, with a branch extending east to the Banducci Substation near the City of Tehachapi.

Prior to construction, crews will be in the area performing survey work and testing. Once construction begins, crews may be performing the following work in your area:

  • Replacing wood poles and lattice towers with wood, steel or ductile iron poles
  • Replacing conductors (wires) and associated infrastructure
  • Establishing temporary construction staging areas for crews and construction equipment, including crane and helicopter pads
  • Trimming or removing vegetation, when necessary for worker safety, in and around construction work areas on a site-specific basis
  • Maintaining or improving access roads in and around structures or poles within SCE’s right of way
  • Scheduling temporary street and/or access road closures, as needed, for safety