Construction crews have started building PacifiCorp's 135-mile high-voltage transmission line from a new substation near Downey, Idaho, to an existing substation near the Salt Lake City International Airport.
‘Our commitment to the investments necessary to meet the electric needs of our customers was made when we purchased the company in 2006,’ says Greg Abel, CEO of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., the parent company of PacifiCorp. ‘This commitment includes the new wind- and natural-gas-generating plants the company has brought online, together with the increased transmission and distribution capacity now under construction.’
The new Populus-to-Terminal transmission line is the first segment in PacifiCorp's Energy Gateway transmission expansion. Work has begun at the end-points in Salt Lake City, and Downey, Idaho, and is expected to be in service by the end of 2010.
Once completed, PacifiCorp's Energy Gateway transmission expansion will help to ensure its two divisions – Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power – can serve the long-term electric needs of their customers with a diverse portfolio of generating resources.
The early stages of construction include building access roads and excavation for the concrete foundations to support the transmission structures. As the year progresses, nearly 350 contract employees will work along the line route to complete the project.
SOURCE: PacifiCorp
