On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the Riverside City Council will discuss a new approach to the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP), which will construct power transmission lines along the northern border of the City of Riverside, including a section along the Santa Ana River in Norco. In response to concerns about unsightly and dangerous above-ground transmission lines, the Riverside City Council is considering the formation of a multi-agency Working Group, which includes the City of Norco, to pursue state and federal funding to underground the entirety of the transmission lines, including the project area along Norco’s portion of the Santa Ana River in River Trails Park.
Since 2017, the Norco City Council has communicated its concerns about the RTRP and has publicly opposed the construction of any above-ground transmission lines in River Trails Park along the Santa Ana River. The RTRP will provide the City of Riverside with critical additional power capacity to serve existing and projected electrical demand, however, if the formation of the Working Group is not approved and the project continues as is with above-ground transmission lines along the Santa Ana River in Norco, this project will negatively impact aesthetics, natural resources, recreational opportunities, fire safety, and property values in the City of Norco.
On Friday, January 13, 2023, Mayor Robin Grundmeyer sent a letter to Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson expressing support for this approach and Norco’s commitment to participate in the Working Group. Residents may also submit public comments to the Riverside City Council in support of undergrounding the transmission lines along the Santa Ana River in Norco (Agenda Item 17). Residents may submit comments in-person, by phone, via Zoom or via email to City_Clerk@riversideca.gov.
Click here to view the meeting agenda and public commenting directions.
For more information, contact the City of Norco at (951) 270-5623 or info@ci.norco.ca.us.
City of Norco Correspondence
Letter of Support of RTRP Working Group & Undergrounding (January 2023)
Letter of Support of RTRP Hybrid Alternative & Undergrounding (November 2022)
Letter of Opposition of RTRP (July 2021)
Letter of Opposition of RTRP (November 2019)
Letter of Opposition of RTRP (February 2017)
