Southern California Edison (SCE) has applied to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the U.S. Forest Service for authorization to construct segments four through 11 of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, a series of new and upgraded transmission lines to deliver electricity from proposed new wind farms in the Tehachapi wind resource area to the California transmission grid.
Under the current plans, the finished project will be capable of carrying 4,500 MW of electricity - enough to supply nearly 3 million homes at peak output, SCE notes.
The company has proposed constructing the Tehachapi project in 11 segments to coincide with the development of independently owned wind farms. The approved segments include upgrades to an existing substation in Lancaster, two new substations in the east Kern County area to collect wind energy, and transmission lines to the Lancaster, Acton and Santa Clarita areas to allow that wind power to be added to the electric grid.
"Completing the Tehachapi project is an essential component to meeting California's renewable energy goals," says Ron Litzinger, senior vice president of transmission and distribution at SCE. "The project will strengthen and enhance SCE's transmission system by creating a new path for renewable energy to meet the increasing electricity demand of Southern California."
