JMH/hkr 5/9/2005

BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

In the Matter of the Application of Southern California Edison Company (U 338-E) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Concerning the Antelope-Pardee 500 kV (Segment 1) Transmission Project as Required by Decision 04-06-010 and as Modified by Subsequent Assigned Commissioner Ruling.	Application 04-12-007 (Filed December 9, 2004)
In the Matter of the Application of Southern California Edison Company (U 338-E) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Concerning the Antelope-Vincent 500 kV (Segment 2) and Antelope-Tehachapi 500 kV and 220 kV (Segment 3) Transmission Projects as Required by Decision 04-06-010 and as Modified by Subsequent Assigned Commissioner Ruling.	Application 04-12-008 (Filed December 9, 2004)

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE'S RULING
SETTING PREHEARING CONFERENCE

Background

By these applications, Southern California Edison Company (SCE) seeks certificates of public convenience and necessity (CPCNs) to construct additional transmission capacity located in Los Angeles County, California. Application (A.) 04-12-007, SCE's proposed Antelope-Pardee 500 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Project, would include the construction of a new 25.6-mile, 500 kV transmission line to connect SCE's existing Antelope Substation, located in Lancaster, with SCE's existing Pardee Substation, located in Santa Clarita. Initially, this transmission line would be energized at 220 kV. The project would also include an expansion of the Antelope substation and the relocation of several existing 66 kV transmission lines in the vicinity of the Antelope substation.

The proposed Antelope-Pardee 500 kV Transmission Line project is also referred to as "Segment 1 of the Antelope Transmission Project" or "Phase 1 of the Tehachapi upgrades."

A.04-12-008, SCE's application for a CPCN for Segments 2 and 3 of the Antelope Transmission Project, was filed simultaneously. A.04-12-008 would include the construction of a new 17.8-mile, 500 kV transmission line to connect SCE's Antelope Substation with SCE's Vincent Substation, located near Acton, California (Segment 2), and a new 26.1-mile, 500 kV transmission line to connect the Antelope Substation with a new substation to be located in Southern Kern County. The project also includes a 2^nd substation to be located approximately seven miles west of Mojave, and a new 9.4-mile 200 kV transmission line to connect the two substations (Segment 3). The two applications are not consolidated.

The Commission will conduct an environmental review of the proposed projects pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The application and PEA for A.04-12-007 was deemed complete by the Commission's Energy Division on April 6, 2005. The PEA for A.04-12-008 remains incomplete. In addition to the environmental issues, the applications raise several other non-environmental issues related to the need for and cost-effectiveness of Segments 1, 2, and 3 of the Antelope Transmission Line Project.

In preparing this ruling, I have consulted the Assigned Commissioner. Commissioner Grueneich has informed me that she considers processing these Applications to be a matter of extremely high priority, and expects all parties to cooperate as needed to assure a Commission decision at the earliest possible date.

The Commission issued preliminary findings in Resolution ALJ 176-3145, issued on January 13, 2005, that the category for the proceedings is ratesetting and that hearings are necessary. Until the Assigned Commissioner issues a scoping memo, the ex parte rules as set forth in Rule 7(c) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules) apply to these proceedings.

On January 18, 2005, PPM Energy, Inc. submitted a timely response to A.04-12-007 and A.04-12-008. Anaverde, LLC and Palmdale Hills Property, LLC also submitted timely responses to A.04-12-008. On April 7, 2005, the Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA) filed motions for leave to late file protests to A.04-12-007 and A.04-12-008, with the protests attached. ORA seeks to participate in the proceedings to protect the interests of utility ratepayers as required by Public Utilities Code Section 309.5. ORA acknowledges that the protest period for the applications has expired, but requests that the Commission accept its protests as: (1) no other party to this proceeding is representing ratepayers and, (2) acceptance of the protests will not unduly prejudice any party to the proceedings or delay the proceedings in any way. ORA's request for permission to late file its protests is granted.

In addition, the Commission has received numerous letters and e-mails regarding the proposed projects that do not meet the formal filing requirements in Article 2 of our Rules. I have reviewed all of the letters and e-mails, and have placed them in each proceeding's correspondence file. As discussed below, the addresses of all persons who submitted correspondence to the Commission will be placed on the Energy Division's environmental service lists. Copies of the letters and e-mails are also being circulated to Commissioners and relevant Commission staff.