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HomeMy WebLinkAbout83-148REL:adg 11/2/83 RESOLUTION NO. 83-148 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA IN SUPPORT OF RELICENS- ING OF HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY (FERC PROJECT NOS. 1388 & 1389) Hydroelectric projects, owned and operated by Southern California Edison Company (SCE), have utilized and developed our nation's natural resources, spreading the benefits of this low- cost electricity to millions of Californians. These customers, including the residents of the City of Santa Ana, now face the possibility, however, that the hydroelectric projects which they helped develop and pay for may be taken away by municipal agencies. From the standpoint of the broad public interest, it is preferable for as many people as possible to continue to share the benefits of inexpensive hydroelectric power. WHEREAS, SCE has over the past century developed a safe, 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 nine million people; and WHEREAS, certain of these hydroelectric facilities, con- sisting of projects 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 owner- ship 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 benefit of a few thousand served by the municipal entities; and WHEREAS, it would be directly contrary both to the best interest of the residents of the City of Santa Ana 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: RESOLUTION NO. 83- 148 PAGE TWO 1. 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 transferred 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 improvement and utilization of these resources in the public interest; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby urges and requests that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicense these hydroelectric facilities to SCE, and to reject the applications of the munici- pal agencies seeking to take the benefits of projects away from the millions of customers served by SCE; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby requests that all hearings concerning hydroelectric relicensing applications by SCE be conducted in the service territory where the projects are located and where the public they were built to serve lives and works; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council supports pro- posed legislation to amend the Federal Power Act so as to not allow municipal preference treatment during the relicensing of hydroelectric facilities; and RESOLUTION NO. 83- 148 PAGE THREE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be provided to: 1. Kenneth F. Plumb, Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 825 N. Capitol Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20426 2. California Public Utilities Commission 350 McAllister Street San Francisco, CA 94102 3. The Orange County Congressional Delegation 4. The Orange County members of the California Assembly and Senate 5. The Orange County media 6. The Southern California Edison Company ADOPTED this 21st day of November ATTEST: Janice . Guy ez� Clerk of the Council COUNCILMEMBERS: R.W. xembourger Mayor Luxembourger Ave Griset Aye Acosta Aye APPROVED AS T FORM: Bricken Ave Johnson Ave McGuigan Aye Young Ave dward J xo4er City Atto , 1983.