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The Board of Directors of Imperial Irrigation District (IID) today
adopted a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with San Diego Gas &
Electric®
(SDG&E®)
to coordinate the Southwest portion of IID Energy’s Green Path Project
with SDG&E’s Sunrise Powerlink. The adoption of the MOA marks a
significant step forward for both transmission lines, including months
of negotiations that also included Green Path Southwest Project
partner, Citizens Energy.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two utilities will coordinate
shared components of their respective projects. IID Energy will
construct a 500-kilovolt transmission line from the Imperial Valley
Substation through the Imperial Valley to the western edge of its
service boundary called Green Path-Southwest. From this point,
SDG&E will construct the Sunrise Powerlink transmission line to
coastal San Diego. Combined, the transmission line will stretch nearly
120 miles and deliver reliable and clean, renewable power from solar,
wind and geothermal sources.
“We’re very pleased that we have been able to work with San Diego
Gas & Electric and Citizens Energy to produce this agreement. By
sharing our efforts, our customers benefit, San Diego benefits and,
indeed, electricity consumers across the state will benefit,” said IID
board president Andy Horne.
Citizens Energy has partnered with IID Energy to participate in the
financing of the Green Path Project and will direct portions of its
profits to assist low-income residents in the Imperial Valley. “Green
Path is a wonderful project that unleashes tremendous amounts of green
energy for the people of California, strengthens the electrical system,
and provides real discounts on electricity to the poor of our country,”
stated Chairman Joseph P. Kennedy II.
Both IID Energy and SDG&E have spent the last several months
hosting public workshops to explain their respective projects. The MOA
will also facilitate a coordinated effort to educate the public and
solicit feedback on all elements of the two projects.
“SDG&E and IID have a history of working together successfully,
and we look forward to this new opportunity to improve the overall
reliability of the Southern California power grid,” said James P.
Avery, SDG&E’s senior vice president-electric. “With these
projects, we will expand access to the vast resources of clean,
renewable energy in the Imperial Valley.”
With the MOA approved, the partners will proceed with the
development agreement, a contract that outlines the responsibilities of
each partner in greater detail.
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