Riverside Public Utilities

Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP)

The Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) will provide the City of Riverside with a critical second power connection to the California electric grid. The City of Riverside is working with its partner, Southern California Edison, to establish the second power connection to the statewide power grid in order to meet the needs of additional power capacity and to serve existing and projected electrical demand in the city. This project will ensure Riverside’s hospitals, trauma centers, jails, fire stations, traffic signals, universities, schools, colleges, businesses and families have reliable energy should there be any type of natural disaster, accident, or any other unanticipated event.


Video

Learn why Riverside's second connection to the grid is so critical.

Map

Learn about route and our need for expanded capacity.

FAQ

Answers to the questions you may have about RTRP.


 

Why is it important?

Currently, all of RPU's imported energy comes through a single power connection from Southern California Edison's (SCE) Vista Substation, located in the city of Grand Terrace. Through that connection, only a certain amount of energy, 557 megawatts (MW), can reach the city.

If the electrical needs of RPU customers exceed that amount of energy, there is not any way to bring additional power into Riverside, as there are no other outside connections. While over the past ten years RPU has built a number of power generation plants within the city that can help supply extra energy in time of peak demands and emergencies, they do not provide reliable, long-term solutions to the city's capacity shortage, nor will they be enough to meet current and projected energy load growth.

The RTRP would create a second connection to outside power lines, and a second substation, that would reduce dependence on a single substation and connection, increase the amount of energy RPU could import, and provide greater flexibility to expand our energy delivery system to meet Riverside's growing energy needs well into the future.

In March 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission approved the RTRP project. The project will now move into the anticipated construction timeline outlined below:


 

Anticipated Construction Timeline

Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) Anticipated Timeline

Item

Date

Lead Agency

69kV Subtransmission Lines
(Riverside Energy Resource Center – Harvey Lynn Substation & Freeman Substation)

Mid 2021 – Late 2026

RPU

RPU Wilderness / SCE Wildlife Substation Site Preparation

Early 2025

RPU & SCE

RPU System Improvements & Substation Upgrades

Mid 2023 – Late 2028

RPU

230kV Underground Transmission Line

Late 2028

SCE

230kV Overhead Transmission Line

Late 2028

SCE

RPU Wilderness Substation & Integration

Early 2025 - Late 2029

RPU

SCE Wildlife Substation

Early 2025 - Late 2029

SCE

*Anticipated Construction Timeline is only specific to construction activity and is subject to change.

**Anticipated Construction Timeline does not include anticipated dates for Engineering plans, permits, property acquisition and procurement.


 

Historical Timeline

Item

Date

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which is the independent organization responsible for planning the statewide transmission grid, conducted studies concluding a need for the project

June 2006

Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) began holding public scoping meetings for the project

January 2007

RPU issued the Draft Environmental Impact Report for public review

August 2011

City Council certified Final Environmental Impact Report

February 2013

City of Jurupa Valley filed a California Environmental Quality Act lawsuit

March 2013

City of Jurupa Valley's claims were rejected, in the Los Angeles Superior Court

May 2014

SCE filed a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval to construct the project

April 2015

SCE filed an amended CPCN application with the CPUC

April 2015

Application deemed complete by CPUC

January 2017

Publication of Draft Subsequent EIR

April 2018

Public Comment Period on Draft Subsequent EIR (45 Days)

April-May 2018

Publication of Final EIR

October 2018

2020 CPUC Decision
City of Riverside Press Release

March 2020


 

Resources

Info on SCE Notice of Ex Parte Communication - 05/17/17

Info on RTRP Public Meeting - 12/18/15

Notice of Availability of Final RTRP Project EIR

Riverside Public Utilities - RTRP Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) – 2011 (whole project)

SCE RTRP Final Environmental Impact Report (230kV portion only)

City of Riverside’s Direct Testimony Supporting Southern California Edison Company’s (U 338-E) Application For a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project 

City of Riverside’s Prepared Rebuttal Testimony Supporting Southern California Edison Company’s Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project 

Lower Voltage and Other Design Alternatives 

SCE’s August 16, 2019 Rebuttal Testimony 

View SCE's RTRP Page 

Visit CPUC's website for more information.


 

Additional Questions

For more information about this project, contact (951) 826-5311 or email [email protected]