Opinion ID: 3048937
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Loop Facilities.

Text: Three 500 kV transmission lines comprise the Diablo Canyon Loop.6 The lines connect the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to the grid and also provide parallel transmission paths between two substations (Gates and Midway). Power flows from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant onto the grid through the Diablo Loop. In addition, the Diablo Canyon Loop forms part of the 500kV system which runs through California on a separate corridor (a parallel path) to Path 15.7 6 A looped circuit provides two sources of power to a load or a substation, so that if one is deenergized, the remaining source continues to provide power. 7 Path 15, a network of high voltage transmission lines, has been described as follows: Path 15 is the principal means of transmitting electricity between [Northern and Southern California] and into the Pacific Northwest. Energy produced in Southern California comes mainly 6910 CAL DEP’T OF WATER v. FERC According to Jenkins, if the parallel path were not there, transfers along Path 15 would have to be reduced by as much as 25 percent. The Morro Bay Loop consists of six 230 kV lines that run through the Los Padres area of the PG&E electric transmission system. The Loop connects the Morro Bay Power Plant to the grid. The Loop also provides parallel paths to the Diablo Canyon Loop and to Path 15. Finally, according to Jenkins, the Loop serves to deliver “load,” the electrical power required at a specific point, to the local area. During periods of high local generation, excess power is delivered via the Loop into the rest of the system. During periods of low or no generation, the Loop imports power into the area to serve the local load. The Moss Landing Loop consists of 500 kV transmission lines, connecting the Moss Landing Power Plant and a Moss Landing transformer to the grid. The Loop connects to the Metcalf substation, and is one of two 500 kV transmission lines feeding that substation. The Metcalf substation serves load to the local area. According to Jenkins, if not for the support of the Moss Landing Loop, the load in the Central Coast area would need to be curtailed and large portions of southern Silicon Valley would experience an endangered power supply, as the subsequent loss of the other 500 kV transmission from natural gas-fired generators; in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, hydroelectric generation predominates. In the winter, energy typically flows from south to north. Summer flows are in the opposite direction. The movement of power along Path 15 is often constrained because of its lack of capacity to handle the transmission of power in the summer and winter months. Pub. Utils. Comm’n v. FERC, 367 F.3d 925, 927 (D.C. Cir. 2004). In Opinion No. 466-A, FERC took notice of the fact that the Morro Bay and Moss Landing Loops formed a parallel path to Path 15. 106 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,144, at 61,481. CAL DEP’T OF WATER v. FERC 6911 line that feeds the Metcalf substation would result in the interruption of “hundreds to thousands” of megawatts of load.