THE LATEST TRANSMISSION
In a bid to bolster the safety and reliability of its sub-transmission system, Southern California Edison (SCE) is spearheading the Control-Silver Peak Project, currently under the scrutiny of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). This initiative, aimed at rectifying discrepancies along SCE’s Control-Silver Peak ‘A’ and ‘C’ 55-kilovolt (kV) subtransmission lines, has drawn attention from both environmental regulators and concerned community members in the region.
The proposed Control-Silver Peak Project spans approximately 61 linear miles, traversing through both Mono and Inyo County, as well as the city of Bishop. The project’s footprint would extend across 322 acres—76 are on BLM-managed public lands, 152 acres are USFS-managed, and 94 acres are located on private, State, and local government lands. Hence the need for stringent environmental review.
In an email communication with The Sheet, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Public Affairs Officer, Michelle Van Der Linden, clarified the project’s intent stating, “The proposed action would update the current infrastructure and remediate any discrepancies along the Control-Silver Peak corridor… [It] would allow SCE to… bring the lines into compliance, ensure the safety and reliability of the existing transmission lines, and improve energy transmission generation.”
The need for the project was identified in 2006, following SCE’s recognition of clearance discrepancies along its circuits. As stated on the State of California Public Utilities Commission website:
“This information was communicated to both the CPUC and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and prompted SCE to establish its Transmission Line Rating and Remediation (TLRR) program…The work proposed by SCE to remediate the discrepancies on these circuits constitutes the scope of the Proposed Project.”
And, should it be approved, the Control-Silver Peak Project will contribute to fortifying California’s infrastructure, and cater to the energy demands of the state’s growing population.
Updating these transmission lines—which were originally designed and built in the 1930s—is mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission in order to provide electricity to the more than 25,000 people living in Inyo and Mono County.
According to Van Der Linden, the project’s scope is multifaceted, requiring pole replacements, conductor line upgrades, and the installation of infrastructure such as groundwire and fiber optic cables. These measures, she noted, are crucial for both aligning SCE’s transmission network with regulatory standards, and enhancing the reliability of the grid.
In the pursuit of that review, concerns have been raised within the impacted communities regarding the project’s potential implications on local communities and ecosystems home to the region. Van Der Linden said these concerns are subject to rigorous environmental review. The project formally lists a Summary of Expected Impacts—or, those “preliminary issues for the project, either beneficial or adverse and of varying intensity have been identified by BLM personnel and in consultation with Federal, State, and local agencies—as the A.) the status of wildlife and vegetation species B.) visual resources C.) cultural resources and D.) areas of critical environmental concern.
“Impacts to communities will be analyzed under the National Environmental Policy Act in the Environmental Impact Statement,” said Van Der Linden. She explained that the project is still in the early analysis stage, with the Notice of Intent public comment period having closed earlier this month. “During that comment period, the public was asked to help identify issues, suggest alternatives, or provide information in the Environmental Impact Statement for BLM’s consideration.”
Addressing ongoing apprehensions about those environmental disruptions, particularly concerning wildlife habitats, Van Der Linden invited public review of SCE’s draft mitigation plans, which can be found at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project.
According to Van Der Linden, if approved, construction is slated to begin by early 2027.
For more information, SCE may be contacted via email at?Control-SilverPeak@montrose-env.com?on questions.
