2025 Draft Updates of Data for CEC Busbar Mapping Assessment (2026-2027 IRP Cycle)

<p>During the August 19, 2025 Modeling Advisory Group webinar as part of the CPUC’s<a target='_blank' href='https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-power-procurement/long-term-procurement-planning/2024-26-irp-cycle-events-and-materials/assumptions-for-the-2026-2027-tpp' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'> Assumptions for the 2026-2027 TPP</a>, CEC staff proposed a number of updates to the data used in CEC's environmental and land use evaluation for Busbar Mapping. Many of the data updates were transitioning to the latest available data versions of individual datasets that are compiled into the CEC Land Use Screens. These changes can be described in three categories:</p><ol><li>Updated data versions of components used to define higher implication land¹<span style='font-size:8.0pt;'><span style='line-height:116%;'>&nbsp;</span></span>:<ol><li>High Landscape Intactness</li><li>Critical Habitat&nbsp;</li><li>CEC Cropland Index Model High Category</li></ol></li><li>Updated Protected Area Layer within California to consolidate datasets and to rely on the most recently available data.</li><li>Expansion of the CEC Protected Area Layer to CAISO areas that are electrically within California but physically within southern Nevada and Western Arizona.&nbsp;</li></ol><p>More information is found in the <a target='_blank' href='https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/energy-division/documents/integrated-resource-plan-and-long-term-procurement-plan-irp-ltpp/2024-2026-irp-cycle-events-and-materials/assumptions-for-the-2026-2027-tpp/final_2025_busbar_mappingmag_presentation_cec.pdf' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>CEC presentation</a> from the August 19 webinar, as well as the 2023 <a target='_blank' href='https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/california-energy-planning-library/land-use-screens' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Land Use Screens Staff Report in the CEC Energy Planning Library</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><span style='font-size:14px;'>1. <span>For more information on lower and higher implication land, especially in the context of IRP busbar mapping, see previous definitions and usages from past workshops, including</span></span><a target='_blank' href='https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/energy-division/documents/integrated-resource-plan-and-long-term-procurement-plan-irp-ltpp/2024-2026-irp-cycle-events-and-materials/assumptions-for-the-2026-2027-tpp/final_2025_busbar_mappingmag_presentation_cec.pdf' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-size:14px;'><span> the recent webinar slides</span></span></a><span style='font-size:14px;'><span>.&nbsp;</span></span></p>