The Imperial-Mexicali 230-kV Transmission Lines Transmission Projects

Baja California Power and Sempra Energy Resources applied for permits to construct and operate 230-kV transmission lines that would originate at power plants in Mexico, cross the Mexico-U.S. border, and terminate at the SDG&E Imperial Valley Substation.

Requirement for Presidential Permit Applications

Executive Order 10485, as amended by Executive Order 12038, requires that a presidential permit be issued by DOE before electric transmission facilities may be constructed, operated, maintained, or connected at the U.S. international border. The Executive Order provides that a presidential permit may be issued after a finding that the proposed project is consistent with the public interest. In determining consistency with the public interest, DOE considers the impacts of the project on the reliability of the U.S. electric power system and on the environment in the United States.

Baja California Power and Sempra Energy Resources Applications and Transmission Line Locations

On February 27, 2001, Baja California Power (BCP), a special-purpose company and wholly-owned subsidiary of InterGen Aztec Energy V, B.V., and an indirect subsidiary of InterGen N.V., a Dutch limited liability company, filed an application with the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of DOE for a presidential permit. BCP proposed to construct a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line across the U.S.-Mexico international border. In a separate but similar proceeding, Sempra Energy Resources (SER) applied to DOE for a presidential permit on March 7, 2001. SER, a non-regulated generating company, also proposed to construct a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line across the U.S.-Mexico international border.

In each of these projects, the applicants proposed to use the international transmission lines to connect separate power plants located in Mexico to the SDG&E Imperial Valley Substation. Within the United States, both transmission lines were proposed to be constructed on BLM land parallel to an existing SDG&E 230-kV transmission line (IV-La Rosita line) connecting the Imperial Valley Substation with Mexico's La Rosita Substation. BCP and SER both also applied to BLM for right-of-way grants in order to be able to construct their respective projects on this federal land.

BCP Power Plant and Transmission Line Project

In its application, BCP proposed to construct and operate a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line that would originate at the La Rosita Power Complex (LRPC), located 10 miles west of Mexicali, Mexico, and extend north for approximately 3 miles where it would cross the Mexico-U.S. border west of Calexico, California. From the border, the line would extend approximately 6 miles on federal land managed by BLM and terminate at the SDG&E Imperial Valley Substation. The LRPC contains four generating units that total 1060 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. Two 250-MW generating units were developed at the request of the Mexican national electric utility, Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE), and the electrical output of those two units is designated for use within Mexico. The electrical output (560 MW) of the two remaining generating units is designated for export to the United States. The electrical output (250 MW) of one of these generating units, owned by Energia Azteca X, S. de R.L. de C.V., could be exported to the U.S. over either the pre-existing IV-La Rosita line or the new BCP 230-kV line that is the subject of this EIS. The electrical output (310 MW) of the other unit designated for export to the U.S., owned by Energia de Baja California, could only be exported to the U.S. over the proposed BCP 230-kV line. The BCP application is available under Documents.

SER Power Plant and Transmission Line Project

In its application, SER proposed to construct a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line that would originate at a 500-MW electric power plant being developed by Termoeléctrica de Mexicali (TDM) near Mexicali, Mexico, and extend north approximately 3 miles to the Mexico-U.S. border. From the border, the transmission line would extend approximately 6 miles on federal land managed by the BLM and terminate at the SDG&E Imperial Valley Substation. The SER application is available under Documents.