Economic Boost

Perhaps nowhere in the United States is the current recession more evident than in Imperial County, which has one of the highest unemployment rates — roughly 27% — in the nation. Yet, given the region’s abundant renewable energy and vast acres of available land, Imperial County is poised for a major rebound.

One key to this rebound is the Sunrise Powerlink, which will provide an avenue through which renewable energy generated in the Imperial Valley region can be transported to San Diego. Construction of the Sunrise Powerlink will facilitate the creation of hundreds of green-collar jobs.

The total cost of the Sunrise Powerlink project is estimated to be $1.883 billion. More than $1.7 billion of that, or 91%, will be spent in the United States. In fact, the only foreign investment planned is for specialized steel, cable and certain other materials not available in the United States.

Of the $1.7 billion, $623 million will be spent within Southern California to pay wages to regional workers and purchase materials manufactured or sold locally. The economic boost doesn’t end with the completion of the project. Once energized, the line will directly provide more than $100 million in net benefits annually to SDG&E customers.