About The Project:
The Colusa-Sutter Transmission Line, or CoSu Line Project, was a proposed 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line project that was recently being studied by the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). The CoSu Line Project would have provided a new link between the California-Oregon Transmission Project (COTP) and SMUD and WAPA’s facilities on the east side of the Sacramento Valley. The proposed project was expected to enhance the reliability of the electrical grid in Northern California and increase SMUD’s ability to import power from the Pacific Northwest and export power from the Sacramento area.
This new link between the COTP and the Sacramento Valley was proposed as:
- improve local and regional energy reliability;
- help the region meet required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
- help the region meet required renewable energy content goals
- ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the regional transmission system to deliver clean power to homes and businesses in the region;
- assist SMUD in planning for anticipated growth and energy demand; and
- improve the transmission infrastructure network and the Sacramento area’s import/export capabilities
Current Status:
Project Update – March 1, 2019
The proposed Colusa-Sutter (CoSu) 500-kilovolt transmission line project is canceled effective immediately. Accordingly, the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report, planned for public release in mid-2019, is also canceled.
Since 2015, the Sacramento Municipal District (SMUD) and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) have been working on CoSu, evaluating potentially significant environmental impacts to decide whether to proceed with final design and construction. The proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line would have connected the California–Oregon Transmission Project (COTP) to SMUD’s or WAPA’s transmission facilities on the west side of the Sacramento Valley.
During the project planning phase, the cost estimate increased, and the value and the need of the proposed line diminished for SMUD; therefore, SMUD made the decision to cancel the project and focus its resources on the suite of local, regional and in-state renewable and reliability projects, as well as incremental transmission infrastructure
Contact Information:
If you need information regarding the proposed CoSu Line Project, you can make contact though the following methods:
Email: montano@wapa.gov
Mail:
Mr. Andrew M. Montaño
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Document Manager
Western Area Power Administration, Headquarters
P.O. Box 281213
Lakewood, Colorado 80228-8213
Project Documents:
DRAFT EIS
Scoping
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News Release: WAPA, SMUD release Scoping Report for Proposed Colusa-Sutter Transmission Line Project
- Public Scoping Report
- Public Scoping Meeting Photos
- News Release: CoSu Public Meetings Help Scope Environmental Review
- News Release: WAPA, SMUD accepting comments on CoSu through March 21
- News Release: WAPA, SMUD extend Scoping Period of California Transmission Project
- Updated proposed corridor study areas map
- Updated Scoping notice newsletter (PDF)
- WAPA’s Notice of Additional Public Scoping Meetings (PDF)
- News Release: Colusa, Sutter County communities share insights and concerns on transmission line
- Scoping period extension postcard (PDF)
- News Release: Scoping period extended for CoSu Line Environmental Impact Statement
- WAPA’s Notice of Scoping Extension (PDF)
- Scoping meetings informational display boards (PDF)
- CoSu Line Project fact sheet (PDF)
- Scoping comment card (PDF)
- Proposed study areas aerial overview map (PDF)
- Scoping meetings postcard (PDF)
- Scoping notice newsletter (PDF)
- News Release: WAPA, SMUD begin environmental review of California transmission project
- WAPA’s Notice of Intent (PDF)
Last modified on November 1st, 2024