City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 5, 2022 FROM: RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: PROJECT UPDATE – RIVERSIDE TRANSMISSION RELIABILITY PROJECT ISSUE:
Receive an update by representatives of Southern California Edison on the progress and actions on the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive and file the update by representatives of Southern California Edison on the progress and project actions on the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP).
BACKGROUND:
The Financial Performance and Budget Committee of the City Council met on January 14, 2022, with Chair Hemenway, Vice Chair Cervantes, and Member Fierro present. During this meeting, Vice Chair Cervantes requested an update on the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project as an item for future Committee consideration, and Chair Hemenway stated he would inquire whether an update on the RTRP should go to the City Council or the Committee. After the meeting, Chair Hemenway later confirmed this update should go to the City Council.
Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) provides the City of Riverside with a critical second interconnection to the state electric transmission grid since the City’s electric customer demands exceed the current capacity of its only state grid interconnection. The project consists of two separate components. The first component is a high voltage transmission project (approximately nine miles) to be constructed, owned and operated by Southern California Edison (SCE) connecting to the existing 230kV SCE Mira Loma – Vista transmission line and terminating at a new substation to address long-term capacity and reliability needs of the City's electric utility system. SCE’s estimated costs for the project as approved by California Public Utility Commission up to $521 million to be paid through revenues from the State Transmission Access Charge, of which Riverside pays 1.759%.
The second component is a project, constructed, owned and operated by the City of Riverside, comprised of a new city-owned substation and installation of approximately 10 miles of 69kV sub-transmission lines within the City of Riverside and improvements to five existing Riverside substations and infrastructure to move electricity through the City as needed. Riverside’s estimated costs for its project is $216 million to be paid primarily from the City’s Electric Reliability Charge.
On February 5, 2013, the City Council certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the entire Project, in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements. A Notice of Determination was filed with the County of Riverside following the certification by the City Council.
On March 12, 2020, SCE obtained California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approval of RTRP (Attachment 1) and was granted Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). SCE will lead the scope of work related to construction of overhead and underground segments of the double circuit 230kV transmission lines, and the construction of the new 230kV SCE Wildlife Station.
DISCUSSION:
Representatives from SCE will provide a presentation on the progress of the project elements for which they are responsible.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 6 - Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity and Goal 6.2. - Maintain, protect and improve assets and infrastructure withing the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability and facilitate connectivity.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – Riverside is actively engaged with the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) and is providing timely and reliable information to inform policy makers on potential actions that may need to be taken to protect and serve the public interest.
Equity – Riverside is supportive of the City’s racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, identity, geographic, and other attributes of diversity and is committed to advancing the fairness of treatment, recognition of rights, and equitable distribution of services.
Fiscal Responsibility – RTRP as designed and approved has been found to be the most economic and fiscally responsible method for project delivery to Riverside customers.
Innovation – Riverside is keeping abreast of interconnection needs to the state electric transmission grid in order to respond to and prepare for any potential impacts to the community.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The need for RTRP was derived by the need for reliable supply of electricity. Riverside’s lack of sufficient electric delivery capacity from the state electric grid created a risk to the resiliency of the City. RTRP addresses those needs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with receiving this presentation.
Prepared by: Todd M. Corbin, General Manager
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Presentation
Project Update – RTRP ● Page 2