[roc-chat] Re: Launch site.

  • From: Rick Dickinson <rtd@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <roc-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 09 May 2012 08:22:04 -0700


On Wed, 09 May 2012 07:37:51 -0700, Bob Brown  wrote: Approved until
2017? Have the plans for a solar farm on the lake bed in the near future
gone away or was that just a bad rumor? 

Bob, 

First, a disclaimer:
This is what I've gathered from conversations with a lot of different
people over the last few years. I don't have any guarantees in writing,
but I'm pretty confident that my conclusion is sound, even if I might be
slightly off on a few of the minor details. 

So, here's my personal
opinion -- take it for what it's worth: 

The solar plans for the lake
bed are basically on hold indefinitely; I personally doubt they'll ever
happen, at this point. 

The entire solar project was contingent upon
the transmission lines in the area being able to handle the increased
power transmission requirements. The existing ones simply aren't up to
the task. 

There is (was?) an unrelated project, known as "Green Path"
(I hate these deliberately misleading and manipulative names), which
would have put in a whole new set of high-power transmission lines,
running from the 10 freeway near Palm Springs, through the 29 Palms
area, and all along Highway 247 from Yucca Valley to Lucerne Valley, and
then along Highway 18 from Lucerne Valley through Apple Valley &
Victorville to Interstate 15. This proposed project met with, shall we
say, vociferous opposition from the residents whose neighborhoods would
be affected. Basically, the project's dead in the water. 

Unless and
until the "Green Path" or something like it happens, there isn't enough
transmission capacity anywhere near Lucerne Valley to support a power
generating station, solar or otherwise, at Lucerne Dry Lake. 

We're
safe, for now. 

Cheers, 

 - Rick Dickinson 

 

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