North American Windpower: Sea Breeze, PG&E Reviewing Transmission Pathways

Sea Breeze, PG&E Reviewing Transmission Pathways

by NAW Staff on Monday 09 October 2006

Sea Breeze Power Corp., on behalf of its affiliate Sea Breeze Pacific West Coast Cable LP (Sea Breeze Pacific WCC), has provided an update regarding studies of potential new transmission pathways to connect the Pacific Northwest and northern California.

Building upon the work of the Northwest Transmission Assessment Committee's May 2006 "Canada - NW - California" study, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is initiating the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) planning project review process in order to study potential transmission pathways to connect British Columbia and northern California. Sea Breeze Pacific Regional Transmission System Inc. (a joint venture between Sea Breeze Power Corp. and Boundless Energy LLC) has been invited to participate in the regional planning review group.

Potential project alternatives that will be studied include both 500 kV and 765 kV alternating current and high voltage direct current lines via overhead or undersea routes. The purpose of the project alternatives would be to improve northern California's access to incremental renewable generation resources in the western U.S. and Canada, and to improve regional transmission reliability.

Through mutual agreement, PG&E and Sea Breeze Pacific WCC have allowed their memorandum of understanding to lapse prior to the commencement of the regional planning review process. The memorandum was first signed on Oct. 25, 2005, for the purpose of evaluating the possible development, design, construction, operation and ownership of the Sea Breeze Pacific WCC project - a proposed 1,600 MW high voltage direct current submarine transmission cable.

The cable is planned to run 650 miles from a substation near Portland, Ore., to the San Francisco Bay Area, and could enhance power supplies in northern California by connecting the region with sources of low-cost and renewable electricity in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. Following construction, the cable would be the world's longest submarine high-voltage direct current cable.

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