A proposed SDG&E transmission project could bring a new 14.5-mile high-voltage line through rural East County communities near Santee, including Crest, Harbison Canyon and Dehesa, according to East County Magazine.

The project, called the Suncrest 230 Kilovolt Loop-In Project, was filed with the California Public Utilities Commission on May 8. If approved, construction could begin as early as 2027 and the line could enter service in 2032, according to SDG&E materials cited by East County Magazine.

SDG&E says the project is intended to improve grid reliability, reduce overload risks and help move renewable energy into the San Diego region. The plan includes overhead and underground transmission segments along La Cresta Road, along with upgrades at the Suncrest Substation east of Alpine.

Residents at a June 8 Crest-Dehesa-Harbison Canyon-Granite Hills Subregional Planning Group meeting questioned the need for a new corridor and raised concerns about wildfire danger, private property impacts, emergency access and whether affected households received enough notice. The CPUC review is expected to include environmental analysis and future public-comment opportunities.

For Santee readers, the proposal matters because the affected communities sit in the same East County wildfire landscape and regional electric grid that serves inland San Diego County. The CPUC project page and planning group updates will be the key places to watch as environmental review and public hearings move forward.