DesertBlog

Peevey Buys a Dog That Won’t Hunt

After you read this latest news on the Sunrise Powerlink debate, we hope you’ll contact the Governor to tell him we don’t need this billion-dollar boondoggle in any form. If you’ve already tried calling and gotten the “call back later” message, we have updated contact info for you on our Sunrise Powerlink page.

As if we needed more proof that the Sunrise Powerlink isn’t really about bringing renewable energy to San Diego, CPUC President Mike Peevey just gave proof positive. Yesterday, he issued yet another alternative proposed decision in the Sunrise Powerlink case. His decision would allow the transmission line to be built along the proposed Southern Route, but with no requirements that the line actually carry renewable energy. A previous proposed decision by Commissioner Dian Grueneich required SDG&E to provide extensive assurances that the line would actually carry renewable energy. SDG&E’s protests against those assurances are further evidence that the company is not willing to back up its green marketing hype with real action.

But Peevey now seems to have bought SDG&E’s greenwashing, saying such assurances are unnecessary. Now, this is a guy with whom I’d love to do business. Hey Mike, I’ve got a hunting dog I’ll sell you, but no guarantees that it will do more than sleep on the porch (see picture above; really, he only does that about 23 hours a day). Also, I have a car for sale — did you want brakes with that? And then there’s this bridge spanning San Diego Bay that you might be interested in — you won’t need to see a deed, will you?

But it’s not his own money that Peevey is spending, it’s yours and mine and every other California utility ratepayer’s, to the tune of $1.5 billion (more like $2 billion before it’s finished). And for that we’re likely to get a transmission line that destroys our backcountry landscapes, is vulnerable to wildfire, and carries mostly carbon-based energy, while SDG&E can meet the new 33% renewable mandate by trading for renewable energy credits.

The CPUC is now expected to make a decision on the Powerlink as early as December 18. Please contact the Governor today, using our new contact info. If you’ve already contacted him, do it again, giving your thoughts on this latest proposed decision.

MORE INFO

The San Diego Union-Tribune has a full article today about the decision and reaction to it, including good quotes from Commissioner Grueneich, UCAN’s Michael Shames, and San Diego Smart Energy’s Micah Mitrosky (welcome back, Micah!). Readers’ comments at the end of the article show a somewhat less measured reaction to Peevey and his proposed decision.

And one caveat on the U-T’s coverage: the article states that opponents’ efforts against the line have prevented it from going through “scenic rural communities in North County.” This may be true for now, but it’s a virtual certainty that SDG&E will be back in just a couple of years with a proposal to extend a line from San Diego northward to the Los Angeles market, very likely through those same communities that have fought so hard against the Powerlink. Approval of a southern route for Sunrise would be just the first step in completing Sempra/SDG&E’s “Fossil Fuel Corridor”.

In other Sunrise Powerlink coverage, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Superintendent Mark Jorgensen continues to lead the way as an outspoken defender of California’s largest (and we think best!) state park. In comments to the Borrego Sun on the proposed southern alignment of the Powerlink, Jorgensen said, ” ‘We are relieved that the northern route appears to have fallen out of favor, but we still very strongly support the CPUC’s recommendation for in-basin generation. It’s time to abandon the invasive monolith wire projects and really move ahead with local solar.’ Noting that environmental impacts, including fire risks and impacts to views, are present on the southern route, Jorgensen said the land that would be marred, while not State Wilderness, is still ‘beautiful desert’.” (The Borrego Sun does not offer its articles online.)

Please see our Sunrise Powerlink page for updated info on how to contact the Governor and the CPUC, and contact them today.

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