TANC in the tank—again

When it comes to getting the word out, TANC seems to have tanked.

TANC is the Transmission Agency of Northern California, and it wants to build 600 miles of new high-voltage transmission lines from northern Lassen County through the Sacramento Valley to points as far south as San Jose. By most accounts, however, it’s done a questionable job of getting the word out, leading people up and down Northern California to wonder about its motives and tactics.

The uproar has become such that TANC has extended the public-comment period for another 60 days, until July 30. This is the second extension, the first being from April 30 to May 31.

Even elected officials were in the dark. When TANC honchos made a presentation of their plans—years in gestation—to the Butte County Board of Supervisors on May 21, long-time Supervisor Jane Dolan grumbled, “I only learned about this last week.”

A joint-powers agency, TANC seeks to transmit wind-, geothermal- and solar-generated energy via 500-kilovolt lines to publicly run utility districts in 15 cities, including Gridley, Redding and Sacramento. Three possible routes through the Sacramento Valley are proposed, but only one will be used.

For more info, go to www.tanc.us.