The Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) is an electrical system upgrade
proposed by Riverside Public Utilities (RPU). The proposed project would include a new
double-circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, a new 230/69 kV electrical
substation, and new 69 kV subtransmission lines. The new 230 kV transmission line would
connect the proposed substation, located on RPU-owned land near the northeast corner
of Wilderness Avenue and Ed Perkic Street, to existing 230 kV transmission lines
owned by Southern California Edison (SCE). Six new 69 kV subtransmission lines
would also connect the proposed substation to RPU's electrical system.
Currently, all of RPU's imported energy for its customers comes through SCE's Vista Substation,
located in the City of Grand Terrace. The capacity for RPU at the Vista Substation is
limited to 557 megawatts (MW). While this limit was exceeded for the first time during the summer of 2006, the dropping of customer load was avoided by use of internal generation. However, use of internal generation is not a reliable long-term solution to this capacity shortage. A long-term solution is needed to provide enough electrical
capacity to meet RPU's current and projected load growth.
The Riverside Transmission Reliability Project also would help to increase the reliability
of RPU's electrical system. Because the Vista Substation is the only source of imported power for RPU, any loss of supply at that substation would greatly affect RPU's ability
to serve its customers. The proposed Project would provide a second point of delivery for
electricity, reducing dependence on the existing Vista Substation and providing the capacity
and reliability needed to support recent and future growth in the area. An additional
substation also provides greater flexibility for future expansion of the electrical system,
as needed.
Project Status
Detailed analysis of elements of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is continuing. Upon completion of the DEIR, notices will be posted in local newspapers with a hearing date established to receive comments.
