Letter to the Editor: Former Mayor commends Council’s support for RTRP

As the former Mayor of Riverside, I spent countless hours during my eight years in office advocating for the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the local community. This critical project will bring a much-needed second connection to the city’s electric grid.

At the May 14 City Council meeting, Councilmembers Falcone, Robillard, Mill, and Perry voted to reaffirm city support for the project and urge Southern California Edison to start construction ASAP. I strongly commend these council members for their leadership and decision-making based on the facts – we could not afford to kick the can down the road any longer. 

Riverside is the largest city in the state without any redundancy built into the electrical system. RTRP is the most important infrastructure investment Riverside will make in this generation and for many generations to come. Like the Gage Canal, which brought water to a growing greenbelt, RTRP will allow for future growth and protect Riverside from future blackouts. Bringing RTRP online is a watershed moment for Riverside and the region since our city is home to hospitals, colleges, and universities, as well as the emergency management infrastructure and sewer treatment plant serving western Riverside County.

The approved RTRP project has been thoroughly vetted, approved, and funded – it’s time to move this forward.

William “Rusty” Bailey, Mayor of Riverside 2012 – 2020