Rosemead, Calif., September 7, 2010 — Crews have begun work on the 200-foot transmission towers that will bring renewable electricity generated in the Tehachapi Mountains to users in the Southern California area.
Southern California Edison, an Edison International company, is spending $3.5 billion on the transmission project, which will transmit about 4,500 MW of wind energy. This amount of electricity is enough to power 3 million average California homes.
The project will use 500 kV transmission line. Construction is slated for completion in 2015.
The project is designed to boost power grid reliability and also to help the utility meet the state of California’s renewable energy portfolio goals.
California’s renewable portfolio standard requires at least 20 percent of the state’s energy to be sourced from renewable generation by 2017.