Anza Rural Resilience Microgrid Initiative
Summary
SCH Number
2026080940
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Anza Rural Resilience Microgrid Initiative
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/26/2026
Document Description
Anza Electric Cooperative's Anza Rural Resilience Microgrid Initiative project will expand the capacity of the pre-existing BESS supporting AEC’s 3.4 MW solar PV microgrid. It will provide additional stored energy to support critical community and tribal facilities during extended outages and improve service reliability for members located in the Anza region of Riverside County, including the Cahuilla Band of Indians. By increasing available storage capacity, the project will reduce the frequency and duration of service interruptions and improve system performance during periods of high electric demand. The added BESS will also help manage peak load by storing solar generation and discharging during times of elevated system stress.
Contact Information
Name
Alana Webre
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Commission Agreement Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Shawn Trento
Agency Name
Anza Electric Cooperative
Job Title
Recipient Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Anza
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Kenworthy Bautista rd near Kirby Rd
Zip
92539
Other Location Info
58470 Highway 371
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15301 ; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15303 ; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15304
Reasons for Exemption
14 CCR § 15301 provides that the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA. This project will involve the expansion of existing facilities already being used to house a similar system, including the placement of containerized battery systems and supporting infrastructure. The expansion to the existing facilities will be less than 50% of the floor area of the existing facilities prior to the addition. The project involves no expansion of use; personnel, traffic, and general day-to-day operations will remain largely the same. For these reasons, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment and falls under the categorical exemption listed in 14 C.C.R. § 15301.
14 CCR § 15303 exempts from CEQA new construction or conversion of small structures. This project involves the construction, location, and new installation of small structures and equipment in close proximity to an existing microgrid facility. Specifically, this project will consist of installing and integrating battery energy storage system that will expand the capacity of a pre-existing 3.4 MW solar PV microgrid. The installation of the energy storage will require minimal construction activity and will not have a significant impact on local air quality, noise, traffic, and odors during construction and will not induce additional operations at the site. For these reasons, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment and falls under the categorical exemption listed in 14 CCR § 15303.
14 CCR § 15304 exempts from minor alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation. This project involves limited trenching to allow for power and communications conduits to be placed between battery enclosures, communications cabinets, switch gear, transformers, inverters, and the substation. All trenching activity will take place on a previously disturbed area where there is currently a pole and material storage yard. Prior to project completion, the trenches will be covered and compacted back to grade and will not be visible. There will be no further activities that cause environmental disturbance than the one listed above. For this reason, the project falls under the categorical exemption listed in 14 CCR § 15304.
The project will not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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