Bill would halt high-voltage lines in Chino Hills

CHINO HILLS - A bill to be introduced by Assemblyman Curt Hagman will fight Southern California Edison's plan to erect large electrical towers near homes in the city.

The 200-foot high-voltage towers that Edison aims to construct in Chino Hills are part of its 173-mile green energy project that will travel from wind farms in Kern County to the Los Angeles Basin.

Residents and city officials fear the potential for harm if the towers fall over or near homes during an earthquake or high winds.

Chino Hills officials are also expected to follow through with a lawsuit filed in February to fight the placement of towers near the homes. They argue Edison's easement was not designed for towers of the voltage needed for the project.

Hagman, R-Chino Hills, said the bill will be introduced in January and should be in committee hearings by spring.

"Edison and the PUC refuse to use safer, less expensive alternative routes that don't run by residential homes." Hagman said.

When completed, the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project will be capable of delivering 4,500 megawatts of electricity from wind farms and other generating companies in northern Los Angeles and eastern Kern counties - enough to supply nearly 3 million homes, officials said.

The California Public Utilities Commission approved the project earlier this month.

"This important CPUC decision will enable SCE to tap into additional supplies of clean wind energy to help improve the environment and reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy," Edison spokesman Les Starck said.

The Edison route through Chino Hills neighborhood was approved for use in residential areas on Dec. 17 by the commission despite an alternative route proposed through Chino Hills State Park by Chino Hills officials.

"Renewable energy can be transmitted without endangering the families living along the utility corridor," Hagman said.

The city isn't the only agency up in arms over the Edison power line routes.

With the rise of complaints from Antelope and Santa Clarita valley residents, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to challenge Edison's wind transmission project.

Residents of northern Los Angeles County say the power lines will increase the risk of fire, ruin the scenery, pose a health risk and split some properties in half.

The supervisors directed the County Counsel's Office to challenge the legality of the commission's approval of the energy project.

"We have a problem because Edison is placing their high power lines right through communities and there are other areas where they could locate them that would not severely impact the residents," county Supervisor Michael Antonovich said.