The Green Path North Project (GPNP) is a joint transmission venture for a proposed new electrical transmission line designed to access known geothermal, solar, wind and other renewable energy resources in the Salton Sea area of Imperial Valley. The project will provide a pathway for these renewables to serve loads within Southern California.

The Green Path North Project is a proposed new electrical transmission system being developed by interested parties: the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Imperial Irrigation District (IID), and the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA). The goal of GPNP is to connect to world-class geothermal renewable energy, as well as solar and wind power resources, which are sustainable resources and emit no or low levels of greenhouse gases, from the Salton Sea area of Imperial Valley.

The proposed line is in the early planning stages and no decisions have been made regarding the route, or other specific elements of the project. We are looking at a variety of alternative routes and technologies.

Generally, the line would be designed to connect a new electric switching station, or substation, near Hesperia with a new substation to be built near Palm Springs.

LADWP is committed to meeting a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 20% by 2010 and 35% by 2030 for LADWP, while SCPPA and IID have adopted RPS goals that are consistent with state requirements—20% by 2010 and, contemplated by current legislation, 33% by 2020.

Meanwhile, the Salton Sea area is home to over 2,000 megawatts of potential geothermal energy, as well as being conducive to concentrated solar and wind power. Yet there is currently insufficient transmission to access this untapped renewable energy resource.

Geothermal is critical to meeting state and local Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) goals because it is base load generation, which means it can produce energy continuously, unlike solar or wind power, which are intermittent renewable energy resources. This is significant for utilities – like the municipal utilities in Southern California – that currently rely on coal for base load generation and must make up for the loss of that type of generation as they wean themselves off of coal power.

Global warming is a global problem that we all share.

The proposed transmission system will help meet the State of California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations that seek to reduce dependence on fossil fuel power, particularly from coal-fired power plants, imported into the state. Under AB 32, the “Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,” the state is required to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and sets targets for significant reductions from 2020 to 2050. The LADWP also has set a goal to reduce GHG emissions in the City of Los Angeles to 35% below 1990 levels by 2030.

Geothermal energy is the primary type of renewable energy that has been developed that can replace coal as a “base load” generation since it can produce energy continuously, unlike solar or wind power, which are intermittent renewable resources.

Other Project Benefits

The GPNP will involve the construction and operation of a high-voltage transmission line with an initial capacity of up to 800 MW of power, with capability to expand to accommodate future increase in demand for renewable energy resources. A project objective is to provide new transmission linking IID’s transmission system to LADWP’s existing transmission in the Hesperia-Victorville area.

The proposal includes building a new switching station near Desert Hot Springs in the northern Coachella Valley, called Devers II, and a new switching station in the Hesperia-Victorville area, called Hesperia. Construction and operation of the transmission line will require new access roads and microwave communication sites. The length of the line would vary depending on the route selection.

The Project will also include new interconnection points with the LADWP Victorville substation, Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Devers substation, and SCE’s Lugo substation.

In addition, the Project partners plan to develop up to 800 megawatts of geothermal energy in the Salton Sea area.

Commitment to Renewable Energy

LADWP has pledged that its own use of GPNP will be restricted exclusively to energy produced from renewable energy resources, specifically including a pledge that any future capacity expansion will also serve only renewable energy. The exceptions are that LADWP may use GPNP for spot energy purchases and for the possible use of GPNP to accommodate existing nuclear power now transmitted over the Devers-Palo Verde Transmission Line 1. Link to LADWP Board Policy Statement

Other guiding principles of the project include:

SCPPA is a Joint Power Authority (formed under the Joint Powers Act of the California Legislature in 1980) that includes 12 public power agency members in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial counties.

LADWP, the nation’s largest municipal utility company, serves 1.4 million customers in the City of Los Angeles, and owns and operates its own transmission network.

Imperial Irrigation District is an independent public power transmission provider and one of five control areas in California. As a consumer-owned utility, Imperial Irrigation District supplies electricity to 140,000 customers in the Coachella Valley, Imperial Valley, and parts of San Diego County. Green Path North is one of IID’s Coordinated Green Path Projects.

The GPNP is in the early stages of the environmental review process, which requires adhering to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), with LADWP, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service are working together as the co-lead agencies in this process. The partners are committed to developing a route that will result in the least amount of impacts on the environment, critical wilderness areas, and existing urban development.

As part of the environmental review, the partners will conduct public workshops in potentially impacted communities, and develop a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Study (EIS).

LADWP and all partners involved in the Green Path North Project are committed to working with elected officials, community members, interest groups and other stakeholders to develop a project that meets our objectives with the least possible impact on the environment and surrounding communities.

The project will consider a range of alternatives in terms of the route as well as the configuration, design, and technologies for the proposed line. Currently, no “preferred route” has been selected. In coordination with federal agencies, the potential alternative routes will be selected through a screening process aimed at minimizing environmental impacts and other conflicts while accommodating the requirements of the proposed transmission line. The screening criteria seek to minimize impacts to natural conservation areas, cultural landmarks, designated national, state, and county parks, and developed private property. Criteria also maximize existing utility planning corridors and existing transmission right of ways (ROWs) where feasible.

As the Project proceeds through the environmental review process and formal EIS/EIR, the alternative routes and technologies will be evaluated based on their feasibility and ability to achieve the main project objectives. Those determined infeasible or that cannot achieve the project objectives will be eliminated from further analysis in the EIS/EIR.

Public input is an important part of Green Path North. The GPNP partners are committed to establishing and maintaining open lines of communication, transparency, and fostering a cooperative spirit among all involved.

A community workshop to provide information and address concerns regarding Green Path North is scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 10 a.m. to noon, at Yucca Valley High School.

On June 2, 2008, LADWP, IID and SCCPA provided a project update and supplementary information for BLM to use in developing the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the environmental documents. In light of the substantial changes to the project, the partners requested that this report supersede all GPNP documents previously submitted to BLM.

A copy of the June 2, 2008 report to the BLM was sent to county, state and federal elected officials in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

For further information regarding the Green Path North Transmission Project, please send an email to renewables@ladwp.com.