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Southern Route Approved For Sunrise Powerlink

California regulators have approved a nearly $2-billion, high-voltage power line that would run through Imperial and San Diego County. KPBS Environmental Reporter Ed Joyce has more on the Sunrise Powe

Southern Route Approved For Sunrise Powerlink

California regulators have approved a nearly $2-billion, high-voltage power line that would run through Imperial and San Diego County. KPBS Environmental Reporter Ed Joyce has more on the Sunrise Powerlink.

The California Public Utilities Commission voted 4-1 to approve San Diego Gas & Electric's Sunrise Powerlink transmission line without conditions that it be used for renewable energy.
      
SDG&E President Debra Reed released a prepared statement.  

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 Reed says the power line is crucial to meeting a state mandate that requires public utilities to get 20-percent of their power from renewable sources by 2010.

Commissioner Dian Grueneich voted against the approval because she says it didn't require SDG&E to use the line to bring electricity generated by renewable energy.

Michael Shames with the Utility Consumers Action Network says the group will appeal the PUC decision.
 
Shames: I think it's really going to come down to the courts.  I don't think the final decision on this line will be made by the public utilities commission.

SDG&E President Reed says the company will work to finalize engineering and design on the project.

The company expects construction to be completed in 2012.

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Ed Joyce, KPBS News.