Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURES3.13 Utilities, Water, Wastewater, Stormwater3.13.1. PowerAffected EnvironmentWatershedElectricity – Puget Sound Energy (PSE)Electric service in the Gorst Creek watershed is provided by PSE. PSE, an investor-owned private utility, was formedin a 1997 merger between Puget Sound Power & Light Company and Washington Natural Gas. PSE serves over115,000 electric customers in Kitsap County and maintains over 132 miles of transmission and distribution linesthroughout the county.The electricity serving the Gorst Creek watershed arrives in Kitsap County via 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission linesoperated by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). These 230 kV lines arrive at a BPA substation just north ofthe Gorst UGA and then connect to PSE’s South Bremerton switching station, located northeast of the Gorst UGA.From this substation, 115kV distribution lines provide power to PSE customers throughout the area.PSE began construction on a series of upgrades to the South Bremerton switching station in 2011 to increaseoperational flexibility during outages. The upgrades are proceeding in phases and are scheduled for completion by2014. While the improvements will provide increased consistency in the local power distribution system, they donot increase the capacity of the current electrical infrastructure.Natural Gas – Cascade Natural Gas (CNG)Headquartered in Kennewick, the CNG serves more than 260,000 customers in nearly 100 communities acrossWashington and Oregon, covering more than 32,000 square miles of service area. CNG maintains a district office inBremerton and serves customers throughout the Kitsap Peninsula, including Gorst. CNG initiates connections atthe request of customers; therefore, not every property within the service area is currently served with naturalgas. CNG does not plan for customer connections in advance of customer requests.Gorst UGAElectricity – Puget Sound EnergyElectric service in the Gorst UGA is provided by PSE, as described above for the Gorst Creek watershed. Power isprovided to the area by regional 230 kV transmission lines that arrive at the BPA substation adjacent to thenorthern edge of the Gorst UGA (north of SR 3 at the end of Solid Lane West). From here, the power is transferredto the PSE switching station adjacent to the northern edge of the existing mine. From here, electricity is distributedvia 115 kV distribution lines to the surrounding region, including the Gorst UGA.Natural Gas – CNGAs described above for the Gorst Creek watershed, natural gas service is provided to the Gorst community by CNG.CNG supplies natural gas service within its service area upon customer request.ImpactsIMPACTS COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVESWatershedNo land use changes are proposed for the Gorst Creek watershed outside the Gorst UGA. Updated stormwater andhabitat regulations in this area are not anticipated to have significant effects on the rate of population growth inthis area or the demand for power. Therefore, no significant impacts to power service are anticipated under any ofthe alternatives.Draft | June 2013 3-217