Answers to Common Questions

As the regulator for investor owned utilities, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is responsible for reviewing and approving major transmission projects, such as the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP). This project previously underwent an environmental review by the City of Riverside as the state Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

For additional information, please refer to SCE’s CPCN Application, Section IV.A and RTRP’s Final EIR.

SCE’s application for the project is currently under regulatory review by the CPUC. SCE filed an application on April 15, 2015 with the CPUC for approval to construct RTRP. SCE filed an amended application on April 30, 2015 correcting certain cost information and an erroneous reference to “2014” (instead of “2015”) in the project notice. SCE filed the amended application so that the public has the best available information and unambiguous notice regarding how to participate in the proceedings before the CPUC. The final scope of the proposed project will not be known until the CPUC approves the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (“CPCN”). The CPUC’s review and approval of SCE’s CPCN application will offer opportunities for public comments. The CPUC will schedule hearings as appropriate before making a final decision on the project.

On or about June 1, 2015, the owners of the Riverbend and Vernola Marketplace Apartment Community projects (Lennar Homes of California, Inc. (“Lennar”) and the “VAP Parties,” respectively), among others, filed protests to SCE’s Application. Ensuing discussions between SCE, the City of Riverside (“Riverside”), Lennar and the VAP Parties identified an alternative alignment which substantially reduces or eliminates the environmental effects of RTRP on the Riverbend and Vernola Marketplace Apartment Community projects and resolves certain concerns raised by Lennar and the VAP Parties.

Pursuant to those discussions, and agreements concluded between SCE, Riverside, Lennar and the VAP Parties, on or about August 17, 2016, SCE proposed to pursue, as its preferred Project route, a “hybrid” aboveground / underground alternative 220 kV transmission line route (the “Hybrid Route”). The Hybrid Route is depicted in the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project Hybrid Route map, available here. As shown, the Hybrid Route proposes underground construction of the 220 kV transmission lines within public rights-of-way generally along Pats Ranch Road (south of Limonite Ave.) and along 68th Street (east of Pats Ranch Road).

The CPUC controls the regulatory review process for projects such as RTRP. SCE estimates that a final decision on the project will take approximately 18-24 months or more from time of filing the amended application with the CPUC, which occurred on April 30, 2015.

For additional information, please refer to SCE’s CPCN Application, Section VII.C.

Generally, the regulation of transmission line projects (such as SCE’s construction of part of RTRP), distribution lines, substations, or other electric facilities constructed by public utilities (like SCE), are subject to the CPUC’s jurisdiction. SCE was required by CPUC rules to consult with local governments in the planning of RTRP. However, ultimate authority to regulate SCE’s construction of electric facilities supporting RTRP lies with the CPUC.

The construction of RPU’s portion of RTRP is subject to the jurisdiction of the City of Riverside. The City of Riverside, as the Lead Agency for the proposed project, certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR or Final EIR) for the whole Project in February 2013 in compliance with CEQA.

For additional information, please refer to RTRP’s Final EIR, Vol. 1, Chapter 2.2.1 (including Master Responses ## 8, 11, & 12).

In addition to the previous opportunities for public comment, there will be additional opportunities for public comment during the CPUC’s regulatory review of SCE’s application for a CPCN. Questions about the CPUC’s regulatory review process should be directed to the Public Advisor’s Office by emailing public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov or calling (415) 703-2074 or (866) 849-8391.

Once the California Independent System Operator (“CAISO”) determined the need for RTRP and directed its construction in June 2006, RPU began the development of RTRP’s EIR. Over the course of almost three years between January 2007 and November 2009, RPU held nine open house meetings, circulated seven newsletters, published thirty advertisements in local papers, and held an additional scoping meeting regarding RTRP. Riverside issued a public Notice of Preparation (“NOP”) of the project EIR in January 2007 and then issued a revised NOP in November 2009. The Draft RTRP EIR was circulated by Riverside in August 2011. The first noticed public meeting in which the Riverside City Council considered the Project occurred in December 2012. In February 2013 at the second noticed public meeting, the Riverside City Council considered and approved the Project and certified the Final EIR. In April 2015, SCE provided notification of our Application for a CPCN and Amended Application for a CPCN. On both occasions, a notice was published in both the Press Enterprise and Riverside County Record, once a week for two weeks. Copies of the notice were mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the proposed project, as well as certain interested parties.

On August 26, 2016 and September 2, 2016, notice of the new proposed Hybrid Route was published in the Press Enterprise. Additionally, on August 26, 2016 copies of the notice regarding the Hybrid Route were mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the newly proposed Hybrid route, as well as property owners within 300 feet of the originally proposed RTRP transmission line route. Hard-copies of the notice were also posted along the Hybrid Route at numerous locations.

Information regarding RTRP is also made available to the public at the CPUC’s RTRP website, available here. SCE’s RTRP website also contains information for the public’s benefit, which may be accessed here.

For other additional information, please refer to RTRP’s Final EIR, Vol. 1, Chapters 1.3 & 2 (including Master Response # 8), and Vol. 2, Chapter 1.4.

SCE has a strong commitment to the protection of the environment. SCE’s subject matter experts work closely with relevant agencies to design the project so that potential impacts to the environment are avoided where feasible and minimized where unavoidable. Environmental surveys for biological and cultural resources are conducted by SCE during the application and licensing process. In compliance with California and federal environmental laws, the City of Riverside filed an EIR that evaluated the potential impacts to a series of criteria, including biological resources (plant and animal species), cultural resources (Native American and historic resources), air quality, noise, aesthetics, and water quality, among others. Prior to construction, SCE will conduct environmental training for all construction personnel and will schedule construction to avoid critical life cycles for certain species. During construction, SCE will utilize on-site biological/archaeological monitors in sensitive areas and will use construction techniques to minimize disturbance to sensitive habitats.

For additional information, please refer to RTRP’s Final EIR, Vol. 1, Chapter 3 and Vol. 2, Chapters 3 & 4.

Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) currently receives power at 66 kilovolt (kV) from SCE’s Vista Substation which is served from the regional transmission system owned and operated by SCE, under the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) control. RPU provides this power to its customers for uses that benefit both Riverside and surrounding communities. The City of Riverside serves as the county seat of government and includes three universities and one community college campus, three major hospitals, the county emergency communications center, a regional water quality control plant, and a convention center. These types of facilities benefit not only the City of Riverside, but the region in general. By providing RPU with an additional point of connection to SCE’s transmission system at 220 kV, the project will reduce the demand on SCE’s Vista Substation, thereby improving reliability for SCE customers in addition to RPU customers. Additionally, the project will allow RPU to purchase larger amounts of cleaner power from the statewide wholesale energy market, including renewable power. This will reduce RPU’s dependence on local “peaker” plants that have negative effects on local air quality.

For additional information, please refer to SCE’s CPCN Application, Section II.A.

More detailed project maps are available in the Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR or FEIR), which is available on the project website at www.riversideca.gov/utilities/about-rpu/current-projects-rtrp.asp. Please note that these maps are based on preliminary data and are subject to change during final engineering.

Certain portions of the proposed project will require new right-of-ways or easements. SCE’s proposed transmission route is currently designed to avoid existing residential dwellings and commercial buildings where reasonably feasible. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will be conducting an extensive review of the project, which will include additional opportunities for public comment, and will then determine the final project route. The regulatory review process is expected to last through November of 2015, but the exact duration may vary.

The effects of high voltage transmission lines on property values have been analyzed for other transmission and energy generation projects by the California Energy Commission and the CPUC. The CPUC has found that property-specific factors such as neighborhood features, square footage, size of lot, and irrigation potential are more likely to be major determinants in affecting property values than the presence of overhead transmission lines such as those for the proposed project. It has been found that any effects of transmission lines on property value are generally small in comparison to other relevant factors.

For additional information, please refer to A Statistical Analysis of Transmission Line Impacts on Residential Property Values in Six Neighborhoods (Pacific Consulting Services, 1991), A Primer on Proximity Impact Research: Residential Property Values Near High-Voltage Transmission Lines (Kinnard and Dickey, 1995), and Transmission Lines and Property Values: State of the Science (Electric Power Research Institute, 2003). A discussion of these studies and other information is available in the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, section 3.12 available at ftp://ftp.cpuc.ca.gov/gopher-data/environ/tehachapi_renewables/TRTP.htm.

Eminent domain (commonly known as “condemnation”) typically refers to the right of the state, governmental entity or utility to acquire private property for public use following the payment of just compensation to the owner of that property. It is not SCE’s preferred method of acquiring private property. Rather, SCE prefers to negotiate a mutually agreed purchase and sale of any private property. Generally, “just compensation” is defined as the “fair market value” of an asset. In the eminent domain proceeding, a third party may conduct an appraisal of the property to determine its “fair market value.” SCE must follow a stringent and specific legal process in order to use eminent domain. This process involves a court proceeding which follows strict rules and regulations to ensure that the property owner is treated fairly.

SCE identified a study area that considered criteria necessary to meet the project objectives, i.e. connect RPU to SCE’s existing transmission facilities. Our engineers looked for route alternatives, focusing on locations that paralleled existing roads and/or existing overhead utilities, and our own existing transmission corridors. In places where we could not use our existing transmission corridors or did not have an existing transmission corridor, we considered route alternatives looking at their potential impacts to the environment, existing and probable future development, the topography/terrain, roadway access, scenic areas, and recreation uses, among other factors. SCE and the City of Riverside held multiple outreach meetings in the communities to gather comments and feedback on the study area and the various potential route alternatives.

Weighing the various considerations above with the technical needs for the project, we narrowed down to the various alternative segments submitted in our April 2015 CPCN Application. On or about June 1, 2015, the owners of the Riverbend and Vernola Marketplace Apartment Community projects (Lennar and the VAP Parties, respectively), among others, filed protests to SCE’s Application. Ensuing discussions between SCE, Riverside, Lennar and the VAP Parties identified an alternative alignment which substantially reduces or eliminates the environmental effects of RTRP on the Riverbend and Vernola Marketplace Apartment Community projects and resolves certain concerns raised by Lennar and the VAP Parties.

Pursuant to those discussions, and agreements concluded between SCE, Riverside, Lennar and the VAP Parties, on or about August 17, 2016, SCE proposed to pursue, as its preferred Project route, a “hybrid” aboveground / underground alternative 220 kV transmission line route (the “Hybrid Route”). The Hybrid Route is depicted in the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project Hybrid Route map, available here. As shown, the Hybrid Route proposes underground construction of the 220 kV transmission lines within public rights-of-way generally along Pats Ranch Road (south of Limonite Ave.) and along 68th Street (east of Pats Ranch Road).

For additional information, please refer to RTRP’s Final EIR, Vol. 2, Chapter 6, as well as the CPUC’s RTRP website (available here) and SCE’s RTRP website (available here).

Overhead power lines are typically the most affordable industry standard for the construction of high-voltage transmission lines. That said, it is SCE’s responsibility to consider many factors, including cost and environmental impacts, when proposing new electric transmission lines. SCE rarely constructs transmission lines underground because typically, underground lines are less efficient, cost significantly more, have unique maintenance requirements, involve more substantial disruptions while being installed, can require significant vegetation clearing and cause substantial additional environmental impacts, and present unique challenges in emergency situations. Compared to an equivalent overhead line, an underground transmission line can cost 10 times (or more) the cost of an equivalent overhead transmission line. Customers ultimately pay for the higher cost of these system investments.

With the considerations above in mind and subsequent to the April 2015 submission of its CPCN Application, SCE had the opportunity to discuss conflicts between RTRP and the recently entitled Riverbend and Vernola Marketplace Apartment Community projects with the owners/developers of those projects. Discussions regarding the timing and unique nature of the conflicts between RTRP and these projects led to the identification of an alternative alignment; a “hybrid” aboveground / underground alternative 220 kV transmission line route (the “Hybrid Route”). The Hybrid Route resolves certain conflicts and substantially reduces or eliminates the environmental effects of RTRP on those projects in a cost-effective manner.

The Hybrid Route is depicted in the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project Hybrid Route map, available here. As shown, the Hybrid Route proposes underground construction of the 220 kV transmission lines within public rights-of-way generally along Pats Ranch Road (south of Limonite Ave.) and along 68th Street (east of Pats Ranch Road).

The circumstances justifying the undergrounding proposed as part of the Hybrid Route are not universally present along the entirety RTRP’s transmission route. The Hybrid Route fairly balances many competing considerations RTRP must address, including environmental concerns, engineering constraints, and costs borne by SCE’s customers.

For additional information, please refer to RTRP’s Final EIR, Vol. 2, Chapter 6, Section 6.4.3., as well as the CPUC’s RTRP website (available here) and SCE’s RTRP website (available here).