SCE and Partner to Develop 500 kV Overhead Transmission Line Between San Diego and Orange Counties

Southern California Edison (SCE) and Lotus Infrastructure Partners have been selected by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to develop, permit, own, operate and maintain a new transmission infrastructure to deliver energy from renewable sources like utility-scale solar, wind and battery installations to Southern California.

The companies will build a high-voltage transmission line from Serrano Substation in north-central Orange County to a substation nearby the retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), utilizing existing rights of way for the line.

The North of SONGS to Serrano project is a 30-mile, 500 kV overhead transmission line to transport renewable energy and help meet California’s clean air and 2045 climate goals, while increasing reliability to the southern Orange County area.

While Lotus will lead the project’s development, SCE will buy the entire project and lease 25% of the transmission capability to Lotus, upon completion and regulatory approval.

Among four applications, SCE-Lotus’s proposal was selected by the CAISO after a rigorous competitive selection process pursuant to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order No. 1000. The CAISO’s comparative analysis included considerations for cost and design, project implementation, operations and maintenance.

“New transmission in California needs to be built at up to four times historical rates to meet unprecedented new demand for electricity, driven by growth in EVs, heat pumps, data centers and electrification across the economy,” said Steve Powell, president and CEO of SCE. “Adding transmission capacity is necessary to ensure the electric system is reliable, resilient and ready to deliver more clean energy when and where it’s needed."