McCullough-Victorville Lines 1 and 2 Upgrade Project

LADWP had previously prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the McCullough-Victorville (MCC-VIC) Transmission Lines 1 and 2 Upgrade Project (State Clearinghouse No. 2024040144). MCC-VIC Transmission Lines 1 and 2 are two existing 500 kilovolt (kV) electrical power lines which run parallel to each other and are supported on approximately 1,750 single-circuit towers and spanning over 160 miles from McCullough Switching Station in Nevada, through several mountain ranges, into the Mojave Desert and ending at the Victorville Switching Station in California. The previously-approved Project would upgrade the MCC-VIC Lines 1 and 2 circuits to newly rate them as 570kV from their current rating of 500kV, including significant upgrades of existing transmission tower steel members and foundation repairs as needed. Since the certification of the MCC-VIC EIR, project design and evaluation of the condition of the existing transmission towers have determined that complete replacement of transmission towers is necessary to ensure long term reliability of power transmission through the lines. Implementation of the Proposed Project would ensure reliable and continued operation of the transmission lines for decades. The modification of the existing MCC-VIC Transmission Lines would provide critical transmission capacity and is required to accommodate incoming renewable energy resources along the west of Colorado River Path 46 transmission corridor to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the lines. Both the Proposed Project and previously-approved project support LADWP’s goal to transition to a clean energy future, with ongoing efforts to transition from coal to renewable energy, influenced by Los Angeles City Council’s vote in 2021 to commit to 100 percent carbon-free energy. The additional 475 megawatts would contribute over 15 percent towards LADWP’s Renewable Portfolio Standard as part of LADWP’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon-free by 2035, 10 years ahead of the State’s target. The Proposed Project would require complete replacement of 1,750 existing transmission towers. The existing MCC-VIC Line 1 alignment will shift approximately 110 feet southeast for approximately 95 miles from the City of Victorville to the City of Baker. The Proposed Project would consist of installation of new foundations, replacement of existing insulators and hardware assemblies, replacing conductors, ground wire, and re-tensioning conductors, repairing/retrofitting existing main access roads and establishment of new spur roads. Construction of the Proposed Project would require establishing a temporary work area at each transmission structure and pulling and tensioning sites along the entire length of the transmission lines. New foundations and tower footprints will be shifted 50 to 300 feet from existing tower sites along the existing centerlines. Access to the project site is available from various existing access routes along the MCC-VIC transmission line corridor. Construction of the Proposed Project is anticipated to begin in mid-2027 and continue through 2029.