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NoTic6; OF PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL !NEPALI' REPORT PAGE 2 TAN(' TRANSMISSION PROJECT B. Project Description and Location TANG and Western propose to coordinate development of the TTP, which would include building and upgrading 230 -kV and 500 -kV transmission lines_ substations, and related facilities. The TTP would be designed to provide new access to renewable energy resources in northern California, northwestern Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest; enhance the California- Oregon Interne; reduce existing congestion and system losses; increase the Toad- carrying capability and reliability of northern California's transmission system. improve the reliability of Western's existing Balancing Authority Area; and relieve existing electrical transmission system constraints in northern California. Specifically, the proposed TTP is intended to: Reduce operating constraints on TANC's 500 -kV California- Oregon Transmission Project (COTP) and the existing California Oregon Interne by providing additional 500 -kV transmission resources that can be used to help avoid Interne load curtailments and related congestion; Provide electrical system redundancy to TANG members in a manner capable of providing the most cost effective electric service to its ratepayers; Improve the reliability of the participating municipal control areas by providing additional transmission pathways and access to additional generation resources, therefore improving operational flexibility between generation resources and members load centers; Increase and improve the member -owned and operated, cost effective transmission capability into northern California (from the Northwest) and into the Sacramento metro and San Francisco Bay areas; and Reduce the costs of generation market entry, and therefore increase the cost effectiveness of electricity delivered to the TANG members' service areas. The proposed TTP would consist of five segments of transmission line corridors that extend from northeastern California through the Central Valley and split westward to the San Francisco Bay area and eastward to the Sierra Foothills. The proposed corridors have been identified to avoid. to the extent possible, residential and known environmentally sensitive areas, and take advantage of accessible competitive renewable energy zones, as recommended by the State of California's Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative. The proposed segments are further identified as: North Segment, Central Segment, West Segment, East Segment, and Sierra Foothills Segment. A description of each segment is provided below and a map of the proposed project area is also included. North Segment. The North Segment would include two, new, single- circuit, 500 -kV transmission lines, each extending west from a proposed new substation near Ravendale to a proposed new substation near the Pacific Gas Electric Company's (PG &E) existing Round Mountain Substation. Three corridor alternatives, each 80 to 100 miles long, have been preliminarily identified. These three corridor alternatives would generally be located north of Eagle Lake and State Route (SR) 44; and near SR 299. The North Segment would also include a new, I -mile, double- circuit. 500 -kV transmission line to interconnect the proposed new substation near Round Mountain to PG &E's existing Round Mountain Substation. The North Segment would then continue with a new, double circuit, 500 -kV transmission line that would extend 40 to 45 miles southwest to the COTP's existing Olinda Substation, south of the City of Redding. Three corridor altcrnativcs have been preliminarily identified for this segment. Central Segment. The Central Segment would begin at the Olinda Substation and extend south to Tracy. It would include a new, double- circuit, 500 -kV transmission line through the Central Valley: interconnect to a new substation in southern Sacramento County and continue on to a new substation near the COTP's existing Tracy Substation. "three alternative corridors have been preliminarily identified for the Central Segment: the western, central, and eastern altcrnativcs.