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Stirling Energy Systems Solar Two Project Stirling Energy Systems (SES) has submitted an application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for development of the proposed SES Solar Two Project, a concentrated solar electrical generating facility capable of generating 750 megawatts (MW) of renewable power. The proposed SES Solar Two Project site is located on approximately 6,140 acres of federal land managed by the BLM and approximately 300 acres of privately owned land. The project site is in Imperial County, California, approximately 4 miles east of Ocotillo, and 14 miles west of El Centro. Generally, the proposed site boundary is the Union Pacific Railroad on the north and Interstate 8 on the south. The eastern boundary is approximately 1½ mile west of Dunaway Road; and the western boundary is the westerly section line in Section 22 in Township 16 South, Range 12 East. An additional 125 acre construction area is located east of Dunaway Road. The project would be constructed in two phases. Phase I of the project would consist of up to 12,000 SunCatchers with a nominal generating capacity of 300 MW. Phase II would consist of approximately 18,000 SunCatchers, expanding the project to approximately 30,000 SunCatchers, with a total generating capacity of 750 MW. The SunCatcher is a 25-kilowatt solar dish that is designed to automatically track the sun and collect and focus solar energy onto a power conversion unit (PCU), which generates electricity. The system consists of a 38’ high by 40’ wide solar concentrator in a dish structure that supports an array of curved glass mirror facets. These mirrors collect and concentrate solar energy onto the solar receiver of the PCU. The proposed SES Solar Two Project also includes an electrical transmission line, water supply pipeline, and a site access road. A new 230-kV substation would be constructed approximately in the center of the project site. This new substation would be connected to the existing SDG&E Imperial Valley Substation via an approximately 10.3 mile, double-circuit, 230 kV transmission line. Approximately 7.56 miles of the new line would be constructed offsite. Other than this interconnection transmission line, no new transmission lines or off-site substations would be required for the 300 MW Phase 1 construction. The full Phase II expansion of the project, and delivery of the additional renewable power to the San Diego regional load center, would require the construction of the 500 kV Sunrise Powerlink transmission line proposed by SDG&E. The off-site 6-inch diameter water supply pipeline would be constructed a distance of approximately 3.4 miles from the Westside Main Canal to the project boundary. The water pipeline would be routed in the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way (ROW), or adjacent to this ROW on federal and private lands. A site access road would be constructed from Dunaway Road to the eastern boundary of the project site, generally following an existing road. On June 30, 2008, SES submitted an Application for Certification (AFC) to the California Energy Commission (CEC). CEC is the State agency responsible for reviewing and ultimately approving or denying all applications to construct and operate thermal electric power plants of 50 MW and greater. The BLM and CEC have executed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning their intent to conduct a joint environmental review of the project in a single National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. It is in the interest of the BLM and CEC to share in the preparation of a joint environmental analysis of the proposed project to avoid duplication of staff efforts, to share staff expertise and information, to promote intergovernmental coordination at the local, state, and federal levels, and to facilitate public review by providing a joint document and a more efficient environmental review process. Over the coming months, the CEC and BLM will conduct a number of public workshops and hearings on the proposal to determine whether the proposed project should be approved for construction and operation and under what set of conditions. These workshops and hearings will provide the public as well as local, state and federal agencies the opportunity to ask questions about, and provide input on, the proposed project. The CEC will issue notices for these workshops and hearings at least 15 days prior to the meeting. Additional project details, status, copies of notices, an electronic version of the AFC, maps and figures, and other relevant documents are available at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/solartwo/ under Project Proceeding.
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