UPCOMING CPUC MEETING IN SAN MARCOS
Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a public Voting Meeting at the San Marcos City Council Chambers, located at 1 Civic Center Drive in San Marcos.
Although the proposed Golden State Powerlink is not currently listed as a formal agenda item, this local meeting gives Temecula and San Diego County residents an important opportunity to speak directly to the Commissioners.
SDG&E’s proposed project would include a major new 500-kilovolt transmission line running approximately 145–150 miles through the region. Current route possibilities could bring massive transmission towers through South Temecula and nearby communities, potentially affecting homes, property values, views, wildfire risk, and quality of life.
Members of the public may provide comments during the meeting. Comments are generally limited to one minute, so speakers should prepare a brief, focused statement.
Residents are encouraged to attend, wear yellow or a “Save Temecula” shirt, and respectfully ask the CPUC to require SDG&E to:
• Fully evaluate alternative routes
• Study undergrounding through populated areas
• Conduct an independent property-value impact analysis
• Consider wildfire, safety, environmental, and community impacts
• Protect existing neighborhoods from unnecessary harm
This meeting is not a vote to approve the powerline. SDG&E is expected to file its formal application later. However, speaking now helps ensure that the Commissioners understand the seriousness of the community’s concerns before the formal review begins.
How to Oppose the Golden Pacific Powerlink
A practical guide to making your voice heard on the proposed transmission line through Temecula
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has proposed the Golden Pacific Powerlink, a roughly 140-mile, 500-kilovolt high-voltage transmission line carried on towers up to about 191 feet tall. As currently mapped, the route would run through Temecula along State Route 79 South, Temecula Parkway, Temecula Creek, and the Santa Margarita River area, affecting neighborhoods, schools, wineries, and open space throughout the city.
This guide summarizes where the project stands, what you can do right now, and exactly who to contact. Because this is a fast-moving regulatory process, please verify dates and details against the official sources listed at the end of this guide before taking action.
The project has not been finalized and no route has been formally approved. SDG&E has stated it intends to file a formal application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sometime in 2026, after which a multi-year state and federal environmental review and permitting process would begin. A CPUC decision is not expected before 2029.
On May 26, 2026, the Temecula City Council voted unanimously to formally oppose the project as proposed and directed city staff and legal counsel to use all available resources to fight the route through Temecula. The City is aligned with the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, Visit Temecula Valley, the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, the Old Town Temecula Association, Temecula Valley Hospital and the Southwest Riverside County Association of Realtors all of whom have also raised formal objections.
Because this is currently a pre-application, public-input phase, this is the most effective time to act — comments submitted now can help shape or eliminate the Temecula route before SDG&E locks in a final proposal.
The City has created an official comment portal and is tracking community input to support its opposition effort.
• Submit feedback: forms.temeculaca.gov/Forms/SDGE
• Project updates page: temeculaca.gov/powerlinkcomments
SDG&E has said it is gathering stakeholder feedback before its CPUC filing. Putting concerns in writing now creates a record.
• Email the project team: GoldenPacific@sdge.com
• Project information: sdge.com/GoldenPacific
Local, county, and state officials can apply political pressure that the CPUC and SDG&E take seriously. Brief, specific, personal messages are more effective than form letters.
• Temecula City Council & City Manager: 41000 Main Street, Temecula, CA 92590 — (951) 694-6444 — temeculaca.gov/contactus
• Riverside County Supervisor (District 3, covers Temecula): find your supervisor's office at rivco.org/government/supervisors
• Your State Senator and Assemblymember: look up by address at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
• Governor Gavin Newsom: gavin.newsom@gov.ca.gov
After SDG&E formally files (expected later in 2026), the case becomes a numbered CPUC proceeding and several additional tools become available:
1. Submit written comments to the CPUC Public Advisor's Office at public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov, or through the proceeding's online Docket Card once a proceeding number is assigned.
2. File a formal protest with the CPUC. Any person or organization can do this, typically within 30 days of the application being filed.
3. Attend Public Participation Hearings held by the CPUC in the affected area. Public testimony at these hearings becomes part of the official record reviewed by the Administrative Law Judge and Commissioners.
4. Track the proceeding through the CPUC's free subscription service so you're notified of deadlines and hearings as they're scheduled.
CPUC Public Advisor's Office — general contact:
• Phone: 866-849-8390 or 415-703-2074
• Email: public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
• Mail: CPUC Public Advisor's Office, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102
Several community and business groups are organizing alongside the City. Adding your name or support amplifies the message.
• Temecula Strong — Fight the Powerlink: temeculastrong.com
• Anza-Borrego Foundation (organizing along the broader route): theabf.org/take-action — email info@theabf.org or call (760) 767-0446
• A citywide resident petition has also circulated locally; ask neighbors or your HOA if a current link is being shared, since petition platforms can change over time.
|
Contact |
How to Reach Them |
Purpose |
|
City of Temecula |
(951) 694-6444 • forms.temeculaca.gov/Forms/SDGE |
Log your comment with the City's official opposition effort |
|
SDG&E Project Team |
Submit questions/objections directly to the utility |
|
|
CPUC Public Advisor |
866-849-8390 • public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov |
Submit formal comments once the case is filed |
|
State Senator / Assemblymember |
Request legislative pressure and advocacy |
|
|
Riverside County Supervisor |
Engage county-level advocacy |
|
|
Governor's Office |
Raise visibility at the state level |
|
|
Temecula Strong |
Local resident-led advocacy campaign |
• Be specific. Name the streets, neighborhoods, schools, or businesses near your property that would be affected.
• Be personal. State how the towers, construction, or wildfire risk would affect you directly, your family, or your property value.
• Be factual. Reference the route, voltage (500 kV), and tower heights (up to 191 feet) so your comment is taken seriously as part of the record.
• Ask for an alternative. Request that SDG&E and CAISO evaluate routes that avoid populated areas, wine country, and high fire-severity zones.
• Keep a copy. Save a copy of everything you submit and the date you submitted it, in case it's needed later in the regulatory process.
Please check these pages directly for the most current dates, hearing schedules, and proceeding numbers, since this process is expected to evolve over the coming months.
• City of Temecula — Powerlink Comments page: temeculaca.gov/powerlinkcomments
• SDG&E — Golden Pacific Powerlink project site: sdge.com/GoldenPacific
• CPUC — Public Participation Hearings: cpuc.ca.gov/proceedings-and-rulemaking/cpuc-public-participation-hearings
• Anza-Borrego Foundation — Take Action page: theabf.org/take-action
This guide is provided for informational purposes to help you stay engaged in the public process. It is not legal advice. Information current as of June 2026 — verify dates and proceeding details before submitting formal comments.
