Energy Reliability

Keeping the lights on in San Diego is why the Sunrise Powerlink is so critical to the region. Our economy and high quality of life all depend upon a reliable supply of electricity to light our homes and power our businesses. The Sunrise Powerlink is an electricity superhighway that will strengthen San Diego’s grid and ensure energy reliability for SDG&E customers.

Better conservation and energy efficiency programs, more local renewables and new power plants are being added to the region’s energy mix. But it’s not enough. In the coming years, SDG&E customers will demand more electricity than can be generated from local power plants or imported over existing transmission lines.

The lack of adequate electricity supplies is compounded by the fact that San Diego sits in an energy cul-de-sac with few transmission connections to the state’s power grid. In fact, no new power lines linking San Diego to the California energy grid have been built in twenty-five years. The lack of transmission lines leaves the region vulnerable to supply shortages, especially during times of emergency.

 

Did you know?

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy in a nationwide study concluded that San Diego sits in one of the weakest and most vulnerable energy corridors in the country.

The DOE called for immediate action to build more power lines like the Sunrise Powerlink. That’s why the line is strongly supported by the California Independent System Operator, which manages California’s power grid, and the California Energy Commission.