Centennial West Clean Line LLC, an affiliate of Clean Line Energy Partners LLC, and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) have entered into an agreement that outlines a working relationship to advance the development of the proposed Centennial West Clean Line Transmission Project.
The proposed project would deliver 3.5 GW of renewable energy from northeastern New Mexico to communities in California, transported via a 900-mile, overhead, high-voltage direct-current transmission line. The project would include an intermediate converter station in Mohave County, Ariz., to access the state's abundant solar resource.
WAPA will serve as a joint lead agency with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in conducting the environmental review for the proposed project. Centennial West will fund all costs related to the project, including environmental compliance work and WAPA's review and due diligence of the proposed project.
The agreement covers the development period of the proposed project, during which WAPA and Clean Line will evaluate the project and determine the next steps after completion of the development phase.
"This collaboration demonstrates the benefit of private and government entities working together to build new clean energy projects, create American jobs and give consumers in the West low-cost renewable energy options without spending federal dollars or incurring risk to American taxpayers,’ says Michael Skelly, president of Clean Line. ‘We look forward to continuing to create opportunities for more renewable energy and to working with community leaders and federal, state and tribal authorities as the Centennial West Clean Line progresses.’
