¬ Project

_ Paradise Area Reinforcement (T228).

_ Transformer re-rates (T684, T687, T639, T538).

_ Brighton 230/115 kV Transformer Re-rate (T449).

_ Contingency (Outage)

¬ None in this area

RECOMMENDATION

· None for year 2001.

DESCRIPTION

The Chico Area covers the northwestern portion of Butte County and includes the city of Chico and its surrounding areas.

The major transmission sources for this area are three 115 kV transmission lines from Table Mountain (two terminate at Butte, the other one at Sycamore Creek). An alternate arrangement, used only in emergency conditions, is one 115 kV transmission line from Caribou to Butte, and two 115 kV transmission lines from Table Mountain (one terminates at Butte, the other at Sycamore Creek).

This area has about 260 MW of internal generation, from 9 hydro generators. QFs can provide about another 91 MW. The summer peak load is about 214 MW. Projected load growth in the area for the next few years is about 4 MW per year on average, primarily within the Chico area.

PROBLEMS

Even an overlapping outage of a single line and a generator out of service (e.g., the Table Mountain-Sycamore Creek 115kV line and the loss of Caribou Unit #2) would not lead to low voltage or transmission line overload conditions.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

With the Butte Area Transmission Reinforcement expected to be completed in December 2000, and the Paradise Area Reinforcement (east of Chico) expected to be completed by June 2001, no other major projects are targeted for the Chico Area.