Southern California Edison Starts Construction on the Nation's Largest Wind Transmission Project

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In the most recent demonstration of its national leadership role in renewable and alternative energy, Southern California Edison (SCE) has begun construction of the largest wind transmission project in the United States. When all phases are developed, the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project will include a series of new and upgraded high-voltage transmission lines capable of delivering 4,500 megawatts of electricity from wind farms and other generating companies in Northern Los Angeles and Eastern Kern counties. The first three segments include the following components: two new substations — Windhub and Highwind — located near Mojave and Monolith; a new, 25.6 mile, 500 kilovolt transmission line connecting SCE’s existing Antelope Substation with the new Windhub Substation; a new, 9.6 mile, 220 kilovolt transmission line connecting the Windhub Substation and the Highwind Substation; a new, 21.0-mile, 500 kilovolt transmission line connecting SCE’s existing Antelope and Vincent substations; and a new, 26.7-mile, 500 kilovolt transmission line connecting SCE’s existing Antelope and Pardee substations. The new lines are expected to be operational in early 2009. "Southern California Edison is the nation’s leader in renewable and alternative energy, and we are continually looking for ways to expand our renewables portfolio,” said Alan J. Fohrer, chairman and chief executive officer of Southern California Edison, the utility subsidiary of Edison International. "The Tehachapi project is an example of the company finding a progressive way to meet increased energy demands of our customers and meet state officials’ desires to enhance the state’s renewables portfolio.” The Tehachapi project is the first major transmission project in California being built specifically to access multiple renewable generators in a remote renewable-rich resource area. When complete, it will be part of a comprehensive $1.8 billion program to provide the high-voltage transmission infrastructure necessary to interconnect and deliver the renewable wind resources being developed in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area to California electricity customers.

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