HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 83-120RESOLUTION N0. 83-120
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF PALM �ESERT IN SUPPORT
OF RELICENSING OF HY�ROELECTRIC
�ROJECTS TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
EDISON COMPANY.
WHEREAS, hydroelectric projects, owned and operated by
Southern California Edison Company (SCE), have utilized and
developed our nati.on's natural resources, spreadino the benefits
of this low-cost electricity to millions of Californians. These
customers, including the residents of the City of Palm liesert,
now face the possibility, however, that the hydroelectric projects
which they helped develop and pay for may be taken away by munici-
pal agencies. From the standpoint of the broad public interest,
it is preferable for as many people as possiblP to continue to
share the benefits of inexpensive hydroelectric power.
WHEREAS, SCE has over the past century developed a safP,
reliable, and economic system of hydroelectric generating facilities
dedicated to the use and benefit of more than three million customers
representing an area population of over 9 million people; and
w'HEREAS, certain of these hydroelectric facilities, con-
sisting of proiects licensed by the Federal Power Commission, now
known as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), are
subject to consideration for relicensing by FERC; and
WHEREAS, certain municipal entities are endeavoring to
secure for themselves two SCE hydroelectric powerplants, which
efforts, if successful, would result in the transfer of ownership
and operation of these hydroelectric facilities from SCE, and
would divert low cost power away from millions of central and
southern California customers for the ber.efit of a few thousand
served by the municipal entities; and
WHEREAS, it would be directly contrary both to the best
interest of the City of Palm Desert and to the best interest of
the millions of other residential, commercial, agricultural, and
industrial customers served by SCE whose rates have supported
the ownership and operation of these hydroelectric facilities,
were FERC to remove from the hydroelectric generating systems
of SCE the following facilities;
l. SCE Rush Creek Project (Project No. 1389),
which is located near June Lake on the
Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada about
sixty miles north of Bishop, California.
2. SCE Poole Project (Project No. 1388), which
is located on Lee Vining Creek also north
of Bishop; and
� WHEREAS, if any of these projects were to be transierred
to the municipal entities seeking them; the customers served by
SCE would be forced to pay, every year, increased power costs for
electricity from oil or gas fired generating facilities; and
WHEREAS, the continued ownership, operation, and improve-
ment of their hydroelectric generating facilities by SCE is
essential to the public interest and to the social and economic
well-being of central and southern California consumers; and
WHEREAS, retention of these projects by their current
owners is the only course consistent with the fullest improve-
ment and utilization of these resources in the public interest;