Golden Pacific Powerlink 140-mile proposal

San Diego Gas & Electric’s Golden Pacific Powerlink has become a flashpoint because the proposed 500-kilovolt line would cross Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California’s largest state park, according to local reporting and project materials. The line is described by SDG&E as a new transmission path from the Imperial Valley Substation in southeastern Imperial County to the San Diego-Orange county border. Conservation groups and residents have begun organizing against the route as the project moves into early public outreach and a longer state permitting process. CAISO and SDG&E, for their part, have tied the project to Southern California transmission constraints and rising electricity demand. ### Where would the line run? Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is at the center of the dispute because the proposed corridor would cut through the park on its way west from Imperial County, according to the Los Angeles Times and KPBS. The project has been described as roughly 140 miles by the Los Angeles Times and about 145 miles by SDG&E and other local coverage, reflecting slightly different public descriptions of the route. (latimes.com) SDG&E said in an Aug. 29, 2025 release that it plans to build, own and operate a new 500-kV transmission line between the existing Imperial Valley Substation and the border of San Diego and Orange counties. Project materials say the western end would be near the former San Onofre nuclear plant area, while opponents have focused on the park crossing itself. (latimes.com) ### Why does SDG&E say it needs another line? CAISO identified the transmission path in its 2022-2023 transmission plan, and SDG&E has used that planning record as the central justification for the project. SDG&E said the line would reduce congestion, improve resiliency and help move power into Southern California from a constrained area. (sempra.com) Erica Martin, an SDG&E project executive cited by KPBS, said the utility is pursuing the line because CAISO determined a new transmission path was needed to support state energy policy goals and the clean-energy transition. CAISO’s transmission planning pages say the annual process is used to identify system limitations and potential reinforcements, and the 2025-2026 cycle remains active this month. (sempra.com) ### What are opponents objecting to inside the park? Anza-Borrego Foundation and other critics say the line would bring industrial-scale towers and wires into a protected desert landscape known for habitat, scenic views and dark skies. KPBS reported that opponents have raised concerns about wildlife, tourism and the cumulative burden on Imperial Valley and desert communities. Sergio Ojeda of Imperial Valley Equity and Justice told KPBS that communities in the region are often treated as “sacrifice zones” for projects serving the rest of the state. (kpbs.org) The Los Angeles Times reported similar criticism centered on the prospect of steel towers crossing the park’s interior. ### Is the project already in the formal permitting stage? (theabf.org) The California Public Utilities Commission has not yet listed Golden Pacific Powerlink on its current CEQA projects page, which catalogs projects under environmental review or in construction. That suggests the project is still before, or at the very start of, the formal CPUC permitting track rather than deep into environmental review. That is an inference based on the current CPUC project list and SDG&E’s own description of ongoing outreach. (kpbs.org) The CPUC says investor-owned utilities must seek approval for major infrastructure projects and that the review includes both environmental evaluation under CEQA and a general proceeding that can include hearings and public participation. KPBS reported that SDG&E is beginning the process with virtual open houses and community engagement, while the route itself remains subject to CPUC review. (cpuc.ca.gov) ### What happens next in the planning process? CAISO posted its revised draft 2025-2026 transmission plan on May 12 and lists May 19 for another revised draft ahead of a Board of Governors meeting in May, according to its planning calendar. That process is separate from the project-specific CPUC permit review, but it is one place where the broader transmission need is documented. (cpuc.ca.gov) SDG&E said construction is expected to begin in 2029 with a target in-service date of 2032, subject to state and federal approvals. Before that, the company has said the public will have multiple opportunities to comment as routing, environmental review and permitting move forward. (sempra.com) (stakeholdercenter.caiso.com)