Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was on hand July 7 for a ceremonial “flipping of the switch,” dedicating the San Diego Gas & Electric Co.’s new $50 million Miguel-Mission 2 transmission line in Mission Valley.
SDG & E; completed work on this key transmission line before the much-anticipated summer peak electricity demand. The line will help reduce congestion on the local power grid, and improve the reliability of the statewide electricity system, according to a company spokeswoman. The line will bring in as much as 400 megawatts of more power from outside the San Diego region, she said, saving Southern California customers millions of dollars in energy costs.
Schwarzenegger was joined by Ed Guiles, SDG & E; chairman and chief executive officer; Michael Peevey, California Public Utilities Commission president; Joe Desmond, chairman of the California Energy Commission; and Ken Wiseman, chairman of the board of governors for the California Independent System Operator.
On July 6, the California Energy Commission announced that 500 megawatts of additional generation is now available to serve Southern California.
The completion of the second phase of Calpine’s Pastoria Energy Center, located in southern Kern County, between Bakersfield and Los Angeles, brings the total capacity at the facility to 750 megawatts. The first phase of the project started operating on May 4.
Pat Broderick
