Temecula mayor sends scathing message to power company after "dog and pony show" meeting for power line proposal

After hundreds of residents flooded an open house hosted by the power company looking to install miles of high-voltage power lines through the city of Temecula, the mayor took to social media to share a scathing message about what she called a "dog and pony show."

In a video posted to her Facebook, Temecula Mayor Jessica Alexander shared her thoughts on Wednesday night's San Diego Gas and Electric open house on the Golden Pacific Powerlink project, which proposes to run 500-kilovolt transmission lines and tower structures through southern Riverside County. 

"I just want to say thank you so much, SDG&E, for showing up — and doing nothing," Alexander said. "All you did was check a box. All you did was create a dog and pony show in our city."

She went on to thank the residents who attended the meeting to ask questions as they "continue to fight together, to stand together, and we will continue to resist what they want to force through our corridor here in Temecula."

SDG&E officials say that Wednesday's meeting was intended to provide information about the project, answer questions, gather public feedback and share potential route alternatives that are under consideration. 

The latter point has thus far been one of contention for Temecula residents, who are concerned that the power lines could bring elevated fire risk to the area, deface the city's rural appeal and cause health concerns for residents. 

"Throughout this process, SDG&E has worked to provide project information and answer questions based on information available at this stage of development," a statement from an SDG&E spokesperson said. "We recognize that community members have a range of perspectives and remain committed to listening, sharing information and incorporating public input into the application as the project moves forward."

Many of the occupants of the open house were from Save Temecula, a grassroots organization of residents and local business owners in opposition to the project. 

"This open house was nothing more than a perfunctory exercise," said Mark Winkler, the president of Save Temecula. "SDG&E continues to go through the motions of community engagement while pressing forward with its bid to the CPUC. Temecula residents have made their opposition to this project abundantly clear over the past few months, and yet SDG&E has done nothing to change course or incorporate community feedback."

Winkler said that the meeting was one designed to "quiet public outrage rather than answer real questions."

Temecula residents have been very open with their disapproval of the project's suggested route, which would start at the Imperial Valley Substation, run through Anza-Borrego State Park and into Temecula before ending up in Orange County, where a new substation would be constructed. 

Since May, when SDG&E officials attended a Temecula City Council meeting, the project has received additional opposition from local politicians, including the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, and the local Cal Fire firefighters union. 

The powerline proposal was determined as a necessity by the California Independent System Operator in 2023. SDG&E says that they plan to submit their application with the state's Public Utilities Commission by the end of 2026, and if approved, is slated for completion in 2032. 

SDG&E officials say that the project would help increase the state's supply of renewable energy, and thus, lessen the stain on the power grid, lower energy costs and increase reliability during emergencies or extreme weather events.