FODECLOSUDE CITy NEWS - Temecula Valley Chamber of ...

no Magic Solution:
Powering California’s Future
Clean, environmentally friendly energy means nothing if the power cannot reach the
people who need it. Californians cannot power an environmental revolution without
hard-headed realism about what that energy shift requires: more transmission lines
across the state.
A federal Department of Energy study, released this week, illustrates that switching to
green power is not as simple as flicking a switch. The report says wind energy, which
accounts for about 1 percent of the nation’s power, could conceivably provide 20 percent
of the nation’s energy by 2030. That shift would cut U.S. reliance on fossil fuels and
reduce U.S. output of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to
global warming.
But that scenario also includes building more than 12,000 miles of new transmission
lines to get the wind-generated electricity to users. Which provides a useful insight to
California: Nature dictates where renewable energy is feasible, and those locations are
seldom conveniently near existing power lines.
Efforts to construct new transmission lines traditionally face staunch opposition in
California, for environmental or aesthetic reasons, or a simple desire not to live near
high-voltage lines. But the reality is that California cannot have clean power — or
perhaps even sufficient power — without additional capacity to send that power to
customers.
Renewable energy made up about 11 percent of the state’s power in 2006, but California
law calls for that number to hit 20 percent by 2010 and 33 percent by 2020. To meet
those ambitious goals, the state could potentially generate thousands of megawatts of
electricity from wind, solar and geothermal power.
But tapping those sources requires running transmission lines to places like Tehachapi,
Imperial County and remote desert regions. The California Energy Commission last year
reported that the lack of transmission lines to renewable energy sites was “the most
critical barrier” to meeting the state’s 2010 target.
Capital Improvement Program
to Enhance Safety and Reliability of Water
Esinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) commenced the Capital
Improvement Program in January 2007. The $110 million Capital Improvement
Program consists of more than 30 individual projects designed to enhance the water
and wastewater infrastructure that supplies safe and reliable water to Elsinore Valley
residents. Construction for all projects is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. By
implementing this program, EVMWD has taken innovative and proactive steps to upgrade
the water and wastewater systems in order to meet the needs of the growing Elsinore
Valley community.
Water system upgrades and expansions include:
• Replacement of old water main pipelines with new, larger size pipelines
• Drilling new water wells
• Adding new pumping stations
• Building new reservoirs
• Additional water treatment facilities
• Replacement and upgrades to service lines
• Replacement of large service water meters
Sewer system upgrades and expansions include:
• Replacement of old sewer pipelines with new, larger size pipelines
• New sewer lift stations
• New trunk sewers and expanded system capacity to handle increased flows in the Community
The same principle holds even for traditional power generation in Southern California.
The region’s poor air quality makes construction of new power plants difficult and
unpopular. But if the region does not meet its increasing demand for electricity with
local generation, it has to boost transmission capacity to bring more power in from
elsewhere.
There is no magic solution: The state can have either cleaner, more distant energy
sources or no new transmission lines -- but not both. A society dependent on high-tech
devices needs the electricity to run them, and Californians cannot ignore the logistics
of getting that power to their TVs and computers.
In the Community, Construction Alerts
Keep Community Informed
In April, the community outreach team developed and distributed a construction
alert to announce construction activities for the Elsinore line replacement-glen ivy
Project. It was distributed to the Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa and Glen Ivy RV Park, to inform
customers, visitors and residents of upcoming construction activities. Construction
alerts like this are frequently generated for Capital improvement Projects that may
potentially impact the local community. They are delivered prior to the commencement
of construction activities in order to give ample time for the community to prepare
for the work and to call the construction hotline with any questions or concerns.
Construction alerts are also posted on our web site, www.evmwdcipo.com.
Construction Hotline
The construction hotline is available for the public to call with any questions or
concerns about construction activities. Residents and businesses are encouraged to
call the hotline at 951-893-7116. Calls received after normal business hours will be
returned between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Web Site
Our program dedicated web
site, www.evmwdcipo.com
is continually updated with
current program information,
schedules, community
outreach materials and much
more.
Temecula Today | June 2008 p9