Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

SUBJECT: The IID proposes to upgrade the existing 230 kV “S” Line that runs from the IID/San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) Imperial Valley Substation located on BLM lands approximately 10 miles southwest of the City of El Centro, in the vicinity of Liebert and Wixom Roads, to the north, and terminating at the El Centro Switching Station (ECSS) on Dogwood Road near Villa Road. The project consists of upgrading an approximate eighteen (18) miles of 230 kV overhead electrical transmission line by installing approximately 285 new double circuit steel poles including all existing polymer horizontal insulators to replace the existing wood poles supporting a single 230 kV circuit. The execution plan is to complete the pole replacement and upgrades in three phases. The “S” Line would be upgraded at distinct locations with an assigned order of importance. Factors to be considered are system outages, structural reliability, risk, construction feasibility and costs.

The initial phase of the project will replace one fourth of the existing poles including steel poles, insulators, and hardware. In this first phase, the IID will replace poles that are located in highly sensitive line crossings such as Interstate 8, railroad crossings, other state highways and replace existing dead-end structures to prevent possible cascading effects.