Siting, Transmission, and Environmental Protection Division

The mission of the Siting, Transmission, and Environmental Protection Division is to ensure that energy facilities are authorized in an expeditious, safe and environmentally acceptable manner. In addition, the division prepares environmental documentation for the Commission as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). To attain its objectives, the division maintains a staff of experts in more than 20 environmental and engineering disciplines. The division's range of technical expertise allows it to perform balanced, independent evaluations of complex and controversial projects.

Prior to 1975, utilities were required to go through a multi-year process to obtain permits from numerous federal, state and local agencies before constructing new power plants. The Legislature established the California Energy Commission in 1975 and mandated a comprehensive siting process for new power plants. The Legislature gave the Energy Commission the statutory authority to license thermal power plants of 50 megawatts or greater along with the transmission lines, fuel supply lines, and related facilities to serve them.

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Special Siting Division Meetings and Workshops

July 8, 2016 - Stakeholder Roundtable Discussion for the Delegate Chief Building Official (DCBO) Selection Process Update. (PDF file, 5 pages, 40 kb)

Documents & Comments

• Delegate Chief Building Official (DCBO) Stakeholder Workshop Power Point Presentation
• Request for Qualifications (RFQ) On Call Delegate Chief Official Services for the Siting, Transmission and Environmental Protection Division (STEP)
• Request for Qualifications Delegate Chief Building Official Services for the STEP Division

If you have questions on the subject matter of this meeting, please contact Camille Remy Obad, Camille.Remy-Obad@energy.ca.gov or (916) 654-3940.

Developers

• Licensing Process
• Licensing Fees

Developer's Guides

• California Energy Commission Staff Cooling Water Management Program Guidelines for Wet and Hybrid Cooling Towers at Power Plants
  Draft Guidelines, publication # CEC-700-2005-025. (Acrobat PDF file, 10 pages, 199 kilobytes)
• Energy Facility Licensing Process: Water Supply information
  Staff Report / Draft, December 11, 2000. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, 6 pages, 30 kilobytes)
• Energy Facility Licensing Process: Developers Guide of Practices and Procedures
  Staff Report / Draft, December 7, 2000. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, 70 pages, 195 kilobytes)
• SECTION 1769 COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS (Link to new page to be provided)
  Fact sheet on Post-certification Amendments and Changes to Power Plant Licenses

Public

• Public Adviser
• Public Participation Guide
  (PDF file, 1.7 MB)
• Docket Unit

Reports and Brochures

• Water Supply Reliability for Thermal Power Plants in California (PDF file)
• Map of Water Supplies for Power Plants (PDF file, 2.4 MB)
• Title 20 California Code of Regulations
• Title 20 Commission Process and Procedure Regulations - 2014 Revisions
• Siting Division Reports
• Final Power Plant Decisions and Commission Siting Regulations
• Tracking Progress
• Search All Commission Reports

Other Reports

• Transmission Options and Potential Corridor Designations in Southern California
  in Response to Closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations (SONGS):
  Environmental Feasibility Analysis .
  Posted: May 8, 2014
  • Addendum to Transmission Options and Potential Corridor Designations in Southern California in Response to Closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Posted: September 26, 2014
  • Second Addendum to Transmission Options and Potential Corridor Designations in Southern California in Response to Closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Posted: January 13, 2015
• State Auditor's 2007 Report on Solar Energy Siting
  (Posted: May 29, 2008, Acrobat PDF file, 53 pages, 1.44 megabytes)
• State Auditor's Report on Energy Commission Siting Process
  (Posted: August 24, 2001, Acrobat PDF file, 46 pages, 543 kilobytes)