SDG&E Has A Friend in Washington

Yesterday the Department of Energy offered environmental interests protesting the establishment of "designated energy corridors" on the east and west coasts a polite "duly noted," and said the corridors are still a go. The Feds believe that Southern California and the area between New York and Washington, D.C. are at constant risk of blackout and need the corridors.
So what does that mean for the controversial Sunrise Powerlink project?

According to the North County Times: "The decision means that should the state reject the Sunrise project, the utility, citing the energy corridor designation, can petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as early as October to step in to approve it."

The federal corridor takes in seven Southern California counties ---- San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino and Imperial ---- and a portion of western Arizona where power plants are being built.

Power Trump Card Upheld [North County Times]