Port of Long Beach
Cerritos Channel Transmission Relocation Project
With the new Gerald Desmond Bridge being built at the Port of Long Beach, the purpose of the Cerritos Channel Transmission Relocation Project (CCR) is to raise the electric transmission and telecommunication lines crossing the Cerritos Channel to accommodate taller container ships entering the channel.
The six existing towers supporting the lines across the Cerritos Channel are located near Pier S and between Piers A and B. These towers are almost 100 years old; therefore, SCE will be replacing them with two updated lattice steel towers. The towers will also be in new locations to allow continued 66 kilovolt (kV) service to SCE’s customers while the new towers are being built:
- The new south tower (M0-T2X) will be located on Pier S
- The new north tower (M0-T3X) will be built on SCE’s right-of-way (ROW) near Carrack Ave and Pier A Way
Four smaller, tubular steel poles will be added within SCE’s right-of-way near the new north tower (M0‐T3X) to serve as a transition point between the new conductor configuration at M0-T3X and the existing conductor at tower M0-T4.
Transmission Lines
The new towers will support new 66kV conductor, 12kV conductor, telecommunication cable, overhead ground wires, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) marking and lighting.
The existing 220kV circuits crossing the channel are being retired and the conductor and structures will be removed starting from the Long Beach Substation all of the way to the Harborgen Substation.
Structures and Foundations
Overall, six new structures (the four tubular steel poles and the two lattice steel towers) will be installed on top of new foundations.
With the removal of the 220kV circuit up to the Harborgen Substation, six old lattice steel towers will be removed. The foundations for the M0-T2 towers, located in the channel, will be removed after completion of the relocation work. The foundations at M0-T3 will be remain in place.
Phase I versus Phase II
- Phase I of the CCR project includes all work to allow taller container ships to enter Cerritos Channel (replacement and relocation of towers and lines).
- Phase II of the CCR project only includes the removal of the underwater foundations near Pier S.
As of January 2019, SCE’s construction contractor is working with the geotechnical team to finalize foundation designs. In February, the 220kV tower removal will start in the Long Beach Substation.
- December 11, 2017: Port of Long Beach issued Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and Harbor Development Permit.
- May 15, 2018: Regional Water Quality Board (RWQB) 401 Permit was issued.
- August 23, 2018: California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Permit to Construct (PTC) for the project.
- September 4, 2018: The United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) issued Environmental Assessment (EA) / FONSI / 404 permit.
- October 2018: Contractor mobilization.
- November 2018: Construction began; removal of 220kV conductor from Long Beach Substation to Harborgen Substation started.
- December 2018: Finished removal of 220kV conductor from Long Beach Substation to Harborgen Substation.
- 1st Quarter 2019: All tower materials on project site; beginning removal of 220kV towers in Long Beach Substation; continuing tower foundation development (engineering).
- 2nd Quarter 2019: Beginning new tower foundations; continue tower assembly in laydown areas.
- 3rd Quarter 2019: Begin tower removal at M0-T2 and M0-T3; begin new tower erection.
- November 15, 2019: Overhead Clearance Completion.
- 4th Quarter 2019: Begin 220kV tower removals at M0-T4 and M0-T5.
- 1st Quarter 2020: Phase I Completion.
- TBD 2020: Phase II (Underwater Foundation Removal).
If you have questions about this project, please email ccrproject@sce.com.
SCE plans to email project status updates throughout 2019 to Port of Long Beach tenants and interested parties.
- February 2019 Update
- June 2019
- November 2019