The Southern California Gas Company presented the Aliso Canyon Turbine Project to the Porter Ranch community at the January 2011 PRNC meeting. The community expressed concerns about brush clearance and fire danger. The project is now in the public comment period from April 4 to May 22. Should you wish to provide comment, you may access these instructions. Rochelle Silsbee of Sempra Ultilities comments,
"Regarding the concerns about fire impacts… We are also very concerned about the fire danger in this area. Which, is why we have invested in our own proprietary red flag warning system, annual brush clearance, annual pole testing and regular maintenance on all of our equipment. It’s also why we keep the facility staffed 24/7, have 24-hour surveillance, have an emergency response protocol, and meet regularly with the fire department. Replacing our equipment like we’re doing with this project, is just another way we try to keep the facility running the way we feel we ought to be and also the way we required to maintain it by our many regulators. Here’s the link to our project fact sheet http://www.socalgas.com/documents/safety/alisofactsheet.pdf"
The CPUC will hold two public meetings to explain the Aliso Canyon Project, discuss the identified impacts that would result from the project, and receive comments on the Draft EIR from the public. The public meetings will be held at the following days, times, and locations:
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 (6:30 to 9:00 PM)
Wiley Canyon Elementary School
24240 La Glorita Circle
Newhall, CA 91321
Thursday, May 3, 2012 (6:30 to 9:00 PM)
Porter Valley Country Club
19216 Singing Hills Drive
Northridge, CA 91326
Copies of the Draft EIR are available for review at the following public libraries:
San Fernando Library
217 North Maclay Avenue
San Fernando, CA 91340
Newhall Library
22704 West Ninth Street
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
Simi Valley Library
2969 Tapo Canyon Road
Simi Valley, CA 93063
Copies of the Draft EIR on CD may also be requested by phone or by email.
You may access the Public Utilities Commission website pertaining to the project to read the EIR.
Project Background
SoCalGas has filed an application with the CPUC to construct the Aliso Canyon Project. The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency.
The Aliso Canyon Project, as proposed by SoCalGas, includes the removal from service of the existing gas turbine-driven compressor (TDC) station located at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field (storage field) in unincorporated Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles, California. The TDC station would be replaced with three variable frequency compression trains installed in a new compressor station (Central Compressor Station). Other on-site and off-site associated facilities would be upgraded as part of the project. SoCalGas's application also requests approval under Section 851 of the Public Utilities Code for the enlargement of an existing Southern California Edison (SCE) electrical easement on SoCalGas property, which constitutes an additional element of the project under CEQA.
SoCalGas's application for constructing the Aliso Canyon Project is required in order to meet the terms of a Settlement Agreement (SA) between SoCalGas and parties to Phase 1 of the 2009 Biennial Cost Allocation Proceeding (BCAP) in D.08-12-020. The SA requires that SoCalGas replace the TDCs and expand the overall injection capacity at the storage field by approximately 145 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd), an increase of almost 50 percent.
Project Construction
The project would involve coordination between SoCalGas and SCE. Components of the proposed project that would be constructed and operated at the storage field by SoCalGas include:
- A new, electric-driven Central Compressor Station at the Plant Station site to replace the existing compressors, including three variable frequency drive compressor trains, compressors, piping, coolers, and other required equipment;
- Relocated office facilities. The existing trailers at the Plant Station site would be replaced by new, permanent office and crew shift buildings at a location in proximity to the proposed Central Compressor Station;
- Relocated guardhouse. The new guardhouse would be located 500 feet north of the existing guardhouse to relieve traffic congestion at the facility entrance. The existing guardhouse would not be removed as part of the project; and
- A new, four circuit, approximately 1,200-foot, 12-kV Plant Power Line that would provide dedicated electric services to the proposed Central Compressor Station. The Plant Power Line would be interconnected from the proposed SCE Natural Substation to the Central Compressor Station, and would be owned by the applicant.
Components of the proposed project that would be constructed and operated by SCE at and in the vicinity of the storage field would include:
- A new, 56-megavolt-ampere, 66/12-kV substation (Natural Substation), which would be constructed and operated at the storage field on an approximately 1-acre site. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE;
- Upgrades of up to 8.2 miles of electrical subtransmission lines in the area of the proposed project, along segments of SCE’s Chatsworth–MacNeil–Newhall–San Fernando 66-kV Subtransmission Line and MacNeil–Newhall–San Fernando 66 kV Subtransmission Lines. Upgrades would consist of reconductoring (conductor wire replacement), and tower/pole replacement. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE;
- Installation of up to 28.4 miles of telecommunications cable on existing structures in the area of the proposed project. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE; and
- Upgrades (installation of new equipment) at three existing SCE substations (Newhall, Chatsworth, and San Fernando Substations) that support the two existing SCE 66-kV subtransmission lines. This project component would be constructed and owned by SCE.
The main project site (storage field) is approximately 3,600 acres in size. Project components would pass through unincorporated Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Santa Clarita (in Los Angeles County), the City of Mission Hills (in Los Angeles County), and unincorporated Ventura County.
For Additional Information
To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone, as follows:
Project email: AlisoCanyonNG [at] ene.com
Project fax: (415) 398-5326
Project voicemail: (877) 676-8678
The CPUC Project Manager is:
Andrew Barnsdale, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-3221
Fax (415) 703-1758
Email: andrew.barnsdale [at] cpuc.ca.gov
