Nearly 200 Attend SDG&E Powerlink Open House in Borrego Springs

A packed room greets visitors at SDG&E’s Golden Pacific Powerlink open house at the Borrego Springs Resort on Oct. 14. Project staff in green shirts and opponents in “Stop the Powerlink” shirts filled the room.

Residents filled the Borrego Springs Resort on Wednesday, Oct. 14, for San Diego Gas & Electric’s in-person open house on the proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink. This was one of the last chances for the community to ask questions face to face before the utility files its application with state regulators.

SDG&E reported about 189 attendees and 29 staff at the 4 to 7 p.m. event, which followed a similar open house at the El Centro Community Center the day before. San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond attended, along with representatives from many local organizations.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond talks with Borrego Springs resident Elizabeth Rodriguez during SDG&E’s Golden Pacific Powerlink open house at the Borrego Springs Resort on Oct. 14. Boards behind them explain the state and federal environmental review process.

Project staff and subject matter experts stood at stations around the room to talk directly with community members, and many of those community members came to push back. Residents wearing “Stop the Powerlink” and “Save Warner Springs” shirts questioned staff at the route maps, and Save Palomar Mountain set up a table in the resort lobby.

These groups come from backcountry communities along the line’s proposed path, and they traveled to Borrego to make their concerns heard.

The Save Palomar Mountain table sits beside the front desk in the Borrego Springs Resort lobby during the open house.

The project is a proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line meant to strengthen California’s regional power network. The California Independent System Operator identified the need for it as part of statewide grid planning. The line would carry electricity about 135 to 145 miles, from SDG&E’s Imperial Valley Substation to a new substation near the decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Route map boards for the Golden Pacific Powerlink Project were on display at the open house.

The route has drawn close attention in the Borrego Valley. The preliminary route roughly follows the highway corridor and existing infrastructure through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, south of the Borrego Springs community. SDG&E has since released three alternative routes. One of them would shrink the project’s footprint in the park by about nine miles by routing the line through Borrego Springs instead. The Anza-Borrego Foundation has warned that the line could affect wilderness, wildlife habitat, scenic landscapes, dark skies and cultural resources in California’s largest state park.

In a statement to the Borrego Sun, Alex Welling, SDG&E’s Strategic Communications Manager for Major Projects, Wildfire & Operations, said the open houses are meant to hear from residents early on.

“We know people have questions about what this project could mean for their communities, and we believe it’s important to listen and engage early in the process,” Welling said. “That’s why we’re hosting these open houses, to hear directly from the community and provide information about where the Project stands today and the process moving forward. Feedback gathered through these meetings and other outreach efforts will be considered during project development and included as part of SDG&E’s application to the CPUC.”

Welling added that “the CPUC will conduct environmental analysis under CEQA and collect public input before ultimately determining the project’s final design and approval.”

SDG&E also shared a statement from the Guiding Reliable Infrastructure Development (GRID) Coalition, which supports the project.

“With electricity demand projected to more than double in the coming two decades, the Golden Pacific Powerlink will play an essential role in ensuring reliable power for millions of Californians,” said Jeff Meyer, spokesperson for the GRID Coalition. “That is why the Guiding Reliable Infrastructure Development (GRID) Coalition is proud to support this critically needed project that will preserve California’s economic competitiveness and quality of life. A robust environmental analysis will enable the Public Utilities Commission to determine the most appropriate route to meet the energy needs of all Californians.”

What’s next

SDG&E says it will submit its application to the California Public Utilities Commission later this year. That filing starts the formal environmental review, which will include multiple opportunities for public input. The utility is accepting stakeholder feedback through early November 2026. If regulators approve the project, SDG&E says construction could begin in 2029, with service starting in 2032.

Some residents were disappointed by the format. They had hoped for a question-and-answer session and a chance to speak to SDG&E officials in front of the full room. Instead, attendees moved between informational stations and talked with staff one-on-one.

Residents who want their concerns on the record can submit written comments through GoldenPacificPowerlink.com before SDG&E’s stakeholder feedback period closes in early November.

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