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Transmission to Support California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard

Transmission to Support California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard. Julie Fitch Director, Energy Division California Public Utilities Commission Senate Oversight Hearing: February 1, 2011. Recent permits for transmission to access renewable generation. Tehachapi (SCE)

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Transmission to Support California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard

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  1. Transmission to SupportCalifornia’s Renewables Portfolio Standard Julie Fitch Director, Energy Division California Public Utilities Commission Senate Oversight Hearing: February 1, 2011

  2. Recent permits for transmission to access renewable generation • Tehachapi (SCE) • 11 transmission segments; accesses 4,500 MW • Construction begun; completion expected 2015 • Devers-Colorado River (Formerly DPV2) (SCE) • ~150 miles, accesses 1,200 MW • Construction begun; completion expected 2013 • Sunrise Power Link (SDG&E) • ~120 miles; accesses 1,000 MW • Construction begun; completion expected 2012 • Eldorado-Ivanpah (SCE) • ~26 miles; accesses 1,400 MW • Approved December 2010; construction about to begin

  3. Transmission permits under review • ECO Substation (SDG&E) • Accesses 1,625 MW • Decision expected early 2011 • Red Bluff Substation and Colorado River Substation expansion (SCE) • Interconnection of several thousand MW • Decisions expected early 2011

  4. Additional transmission projects identified, but permit applications not yet filed • Pisgah-Lugo 500 kV line (SCE) • Coolwater-Lugo 230 kV line (SCE) • West of Devers 230 kV reconductoring (SCE) • Path 42 upgrade (Imperial Irrigation District and SCE) • Carrizo-Midway 230 kV line (PG&E) • Numerous other smaller projects

  5. CPUC permitting process requirements • CPUC permitting process considers three major questions: • Need for the project • Environmental impact • Reasonable cost • CPUC and CAISO working together to ensure transmission planning process includes analysis necessary for permitting phase

  6. Coordinating generation and transmission planning • CPUC and CAISO signed Memorandum of Understanding May 13, 2010 • MOU agreed on certain elements of the ISO’s revised Transmission Planning Process • Commits to closer coordination between generation resource planning and transmission planning • Desire to “work together to coordinate the ISO’s revised transmission planning process and identification of needed transmission infrastructure with the CPUC’s subsequent siting/permitting processes” • Renewable generation scenarios developed by the CPUC “will assist the ISO in identifying transmission projects needed under various renewable generation location assumptions and developing a comprehensive transmission plan”

  7. Importance of coordinated generation and transmission planning • As part of the CPUC long-term procurement planning process, several scenarios for potential renewable generation build-out are under consideration • Transmission “need” to be tested against several generation scenarios to ensure transmission needed under multiple scenarios • “chicken and egg” problem • no need to build transmission where there are no viable renewable projects • Using common renewable scenarios across generation and transmission planning processes allows for a smoother and coordinated CPUC “need determination” in the permitting process • Coordinating assumptions also leads to reduced risk of legal challenges on CPUC need determination • CPUC must adhere to statutory requirements to consider alternatives to the proposed transmission project under review

  8. CPUC generation resource planning efforts • CPUC’s biennial long-term procurement plan (LTPP) proceeding authorizes procurement of new generation resources • 2010 LTPP considers needs to 2020 • 33% RPS is a key driver of the amount and type of generation utilities may need • “Umbrella” proceeding considers forecasted levels of energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, utility-scale renewables, and fossil generation retirements, which determine overall procurement need • CPUC must consider these same resource alternatives when assessing the need for individual transmission projects

  9. CPUC and CAISO use of 33% RPS scenarios • CPUC staff developed four renewable generation scenarios, representing possible 33% RPS futures in 2020 • Consider transmission constraints, cost, commercial interest, environmental concerns • Scenarios vary by technology, location, and other characteristics • Utilities will file 10-year plans that include the transmission and non-RPS generation needed to accommodate these scenarios • Decision authorizing new generation procurement expected in late 2011 • Continuing close CPUC-CAISO collaboration on generation planning assumptions is needed to ensure timely access to resources needed for a 33% RPS

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