 | 4/15/2013 | Transmission line project will help meet energy demand |
Housing starts are creeping up. Unemployment is slowly coming down. Large construction cranes are once again prominent on the Boise skyline. While the regional economy is still not completely out of the woods, there are clear signs of hope that a recovery has taken hold.
Concerns about reliability of electricity supply have faded in recent years with the recession-induced drop in demand and with the startup of Idaho Power’s Langley Gulch power plant. But I expect these concerns to resurface as economic activity accelerates.
As we consider ways to match electricity supply and demand, the development of a more energy-efficient economy should of course be at the top of our list. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has made increased energy efficiency a top priority and has established the Idaho Awards for Leadership in Energy Efficiency program to recognize the best of the best. Idaho Power, leading Idaho companies like Simplot and Amalgamated Sugar, and local governments including Ada County have all achieved major savings through successful energy efficiency initiatives. The Center for Advanced Energy Studies is building an Energy Efficiency Research Institute to help continue the drive toward a more energy-efficient economy; the institute is housed at Boise State and includes researchers from Idaho State University, the University of Idaho and the Idaho National Laboratory.
While we must continue local efforts to achieve greater energy efficiency, the time will come when we need to add new sources of electrical supply. And one of our region’s best options for increasing reliability, diversity and affordability of electrical supply is already on the drawing board – Idaho Power’s proposed Boardman to Hemingway transmission line, also known as B2H.
As I see it, the B2H project is all about creating options and increasing flexibility. The line would connect the new Hemingway substation near Melba to a substation near Boardman, Ore. Building this new pathway would provide access to low-cost hydropower, wind, nuclear and other existing electricity supply sources in the northwest.
Because electricity demand in the northwest tends to peak in the winter, while Idaho’s electricity demand peaks during the summer, providing increased connectivity should allow future electrical demands to be met in a way that holds down the need to build large new power plants. And because it is almost always cheaper to buy electricity from an existing plant instead of building a new plant, the B2H line should help keep rates down over the long run.
The advantages of the B2H project are well recognized among energy planners. That is why the Bonneville Power Administration chose B2H “as its top priority for pursuit in fiscal year 2013 and beyond.” BPA says the B2H option “has the potential to keep BPA costs low relative to the other options considered” and “to increase reliability of the Northwest transmission system.”
The federal government also recognizes the benefits of the B2H Project, selecting it as one of seven transmission projects for the new federal interagency Rapid Response Team for Transmission, tasked with improving the efficiency of federal-agency reviews and decisions necessary for new transmission infrastructure.
I expect we’ll be hearing more about B2H in the coming months as federal and state permitting agencies seek public input on the project. When those opportunities to provide input arise, I encourage Idaho’s business leaders to remain mindful of the important role B2H can play in our region’s energy future.
|
| 1/18/2012 | New agreements mark progress on Boardman-to-Hemingway partnership options |
The Bonneville Power Administration, Idaho Power and PacifiCorp have agreed to continue exploring joint participation in the 300-mile, 500-kilovolt Boardman-to-Hemingway Transmission Line Project. Agreements, signed Jan. 12 by the three, provide funding to environmental review and permitting, ensuring continued consideration of the project.
“We continue to look for ways to collaborate with other utilities to cost-effectively serve our southeast Idaho customers,” said Brian Silverstein, senior vice president, BPA Transmission Services. “Participation in Boardman-to-Hemingway is one of several options that could help us do this.”
The Boardman-to-Hemingway Transmission Project would run from a new substation proposed near Boardman, Ore., to Idaho Power’s recently completed Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho, southwest of Boise. The line would increase system reliability and overall transfer capability between the three utilities’ systems, allowing the parties to capture least-cost resource options and more efficiently direct the output of those resources to serve their customers’ energy needs.
“For some time, we’ve been exploring ways to work with Idaho Power on development of the Boardman-to-Hemingway line,” said John Cupparo, senior vice president, transmission, PacifiCorp. “BPA becoming involved adds to the project’s viability and makes sense for our customers as we invest to meet their current and future needs,”
Under a joint funding agreement, each utility will pay a portion of permitting costs based on its stated share in the capacity of the proposed line. BPA will pay up to an estimated $11.7 million toward these costs for a 24.24 percent share in line capacity. PacifiCorp will contribute 54.55 percent to the permitting costs and Idaho Power, acting as the project manager, will contribute 21.21 percent. Payment does not commit BPA to participate in construction of the line.
”This project is a valuable and much-needed addition to the regional transmission grid,” said Idaho Power Vice President of Engineering and Operations Vern Porter. “Customers of all three partner organizations would benefit from this joint investment in important infrastructure.”
A second agreement among the three parties, a memorandum of understanding signed January 12, will continue discussions on options for BPA to serve its customers in southeast Idaho. BPA currently serves customers in Idaho, western Wyoming and southern Montana through two agreements with PacifiCorp—the South Idaho Exchange Agreement and a General Transfer Agreement. Both agreements terminate in 2016.
These discussions will involve several options that would allow BPA to obtain transmission capacity from Hemingway Substation in southwest Idaho to serve its southeast Idaho customers. These options address service on the existing transmission system and the future Gateway West 500-kV transmission system currently in the permitting process across Wyoming and Idaho. The Gateway West project will connect to the Hemingway Substation, offering a connection that could provide BPA with a path to serve its southeast Idaho customers. In addition to participation in the permitting of the Boardman-to-Hemingway Line, BPA is evaluating various other alternatives to serve its customers affected by the termination.
Administration permitting pilot
Boardman-to-Hemingway is one of seven high-voltage transmission projects identified by an Obama Administration initiative to accelerate permitting and construction of electric transmission lines to speed creation of construction and operations jobs, modernize the nation’s electric grid, and integrate renewable energy
“Finding ways to modernize the grid is vital in order to keep the United States competitive in the global economy,” said Lauren Azar, Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. “Improving the coordination of federal and state permitting will help in completing the review of key transmission projects and secure our energy future by providing additional renewable energy options.”
In October 2009, nine Federal entities including the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding increasing their coordination to expedite and simplify building of transmission lines on Federal lands.
Leveraging this interagency collaboration and expanding the scope of activity beyond Federal lands, the Administration’s recently formed Rapid Response Team for Transmission (RRTT), comprised of these same nine agencies, will accelerate responsible and informed permitting of these seven key transmission facilities by improving the overall quality and timeliness of electric transmission permitting, review and consultation by the Federal government.
|
| 10/5/2011 | Seven Transmission Projects Across 12 States Will Increase Grid Reliability and Integrate Renewable Energies |
Demonstrating its commitment to job creation and modernizing America’s infrastructure, the Obama Administration today announced it would accelerate the permitting and construction of seven proposed electric transmission lines. This move will speed the creation of thousands of construction and operations jobs while transforming the nation’s electric system into a modern, 21st century grid that is safer and more secure, and gives consumers more energy choices.
“The President wants to get America working again. He is committed to cutting red tape and making immediate investments to put people to work modernizing our roads, bridges, airports, and energy systems,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. “Building a smarter electric grid will create thousands of American jobs and accelerate the growth of domestic clean energy industries translating into more energy choices and cost savings for American consumers, and a more secure energy future for our country.”
These projects will serve as pilot demonstrations of streamlined federal permitting and increased cooperation at the federal, state, and tribal levels. Project developers expect that the streamlined projects will increase grid capacity and create thousands of jobs in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
“These are the kinds of job-creating projects that the President wants to see across the country,” Sutley said. “The American Jobs Act would make immediate investments in infrastructure, putting hundreds of thousands of workers back on the job across the country. These investments would not only put people to work now, but also yield lasting benefits for the economy, increasing growth in the long run.”
Building electric transmission lines involves coordination among multiple federal, state, and tribal agencies subject to permitting, review, and consultation. Improving the overall quality and timeliness of these procedures enables the federal government to help expedite new transmission lines. Adding necessary transmission infrastructure will integrate renewable electricity sources into the grid, accommodate the growing number of electric vehicles on America’s roads, help avoid blackouts, restore power more quickly when outages occur, and reduce the need for new power plants.
“Transmission is a vital component of our nation’s energy portfolio, and these seven lines, when completed, will serve as important links across our country to increase our power grid’s capacity and reliability,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “This is the kind of critical infrastructure we should be working together to advance in order to create jobs and move our nation toward energy independence.”
“To compete in the global economy, we need a modern electricity grid,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “An upgraded electricity grid will give consumers choices while promoting energy savings, increasing energy efficiency, and fostering the growth of renewable energy resources.”
“USDA’s collaboration with other agencies to build electric transmission will help to meet our country’s electric needs in the 21st century,” Vilsack said. “These infrastructure projects will also create jobs and opportunities that will strengthen our economy to benefit households and businesses throughout the country.”
"These projects will put Americans to work building the electricity grid of the future - one that allows for more electric vehicles on the road and homes and businesses powered by renewable energy," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said. "This is yet another step forward in our efforts to build a 21st century energy sector in America that is cleaner, healthier and more sustainable."
“A modern, 21st century transmission grid that expands transmission capacity in an efficient, cost-effective manner is critical to ensuring that Americans will have reliable, reasonably priced electricity,” FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said.
“It’s important that these pilot projects move forward quickly while getting the economic, cultural and sustainability benefits provided by historic preservation reviews,” said Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, chairman, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. “The pilot project approach provides an efficient means to meet our respective agencies’ legislated responsibilities. They benefit the American people while creating a model to streamline future efforts. This is good government at work.”
In October of 2009, nine Federal entities including, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding increasing their coordination to expedite and simplify building of transmission lines on Federal lands.
Leveraging this interagency collaboration and expanding the scope of activity beyond Federal lands, the Administration’s recently formed Rapid Response Team for Transmission (RRTT), comprised of these same nine agencies, will accelerate responsible and informed deployment of these seven key transmission facilities by:
* Coordinating statutory permitting, review, and consultation schedules and processes among involved federal and state agencies as appropriate through Integrated Federal Planning,
* Applying a uniform and consistent approach to consultations with Tribal governments, and,
* Expeditiously resolving interagency conflicts and ensuring that all involved agencies are fully engaged and meeting schedules.
Crossing twelve states the RRTT’s seven selected pilot project transmission lines are as follows:
Boardman-Hemingway Line powering Oregon and Idaho:
The new 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line proposed by Idaho Power would create an approximately 300 mile long, single-circuit electric transmission line from a proposed substation near Boardman, Oregon to the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho—known as the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project or B2H Project. According to the developer of this project during peak construction, this project is estimated to create about 500 jobs in Idaho and Oregon.
Gateway West Project to bring new transmission across Wyoming and Idaho:
Jointly proposed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power, this project would add approximately 1,150 miles of new, high-voltage transmission lines between the Windstar Substation near Glenrock, Wyoming and the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho. According to the developer of this project, during peak construction, it is estimated to create between 1,100 and 1,200 jobs.
Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse Line to power to Minnesota and Wisconsin:
This double- circuit capable 345 kV transmission line will run between a new substation near Hampton, Minnesota, a new substation north of Pine Island, Minnesota, and continue on to cross the Mississippi River near Alma, Wisconsin. A single circuit 345 kV line will be built in Wisconsin to a new substation in the La Crosse area. Two 161 kV lines will be built between the new substation near Pine Island and existing substations northwest and east of Rochester. According to the developer of this project, approximately 1,650 jobs will be created during peak construction.
Oregon to get additional transmission from Cascade Crossing Line:
Portland General Electric’s proposed Cascade Crossing Transmission Project includes approximately 210 miles of 500 kV transmission line from Boardman to Salem, Oregon—for the construction of four new substations, expansion of three existing substations, and upgrades to the existing transmission systems near Salem. According to the developer, Cascade Crossing is expected to create about 450 jobs during peak construction.
SunZia Transmission, LLC to bring power to New Mexico and Arizona:
SunZia Transmission, LLC plans to construct and operate up to two 500 kV transmission lines originating at a new substation in Lincoln County in the vicinity of Ancho, New Mexico, and terminating at the Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County near Coolidge, Arizona. According to the developer estimated job creation will be about 3,408 direct jobs during the construction period.
Susquehanna to Roseland Line brings new transmission to Pennsylvania and New Jersey:
PPL Electric Utilities (PPL) and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) have proposed the Susquehanna-Roseland power line project which includes an approximately 145-mile long 500 kV transmission line from the Susquehanna Substation in Pennsylvania to the Roseland Substation in New Jersey, and several 500 – 230 kV substations in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Based on the current schedule for the environmental review, the project is expected to be in service in the spring of 2015. According to the project’s developer, over 2000 jobs will be created in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Transwest Express to stand-up transmission from Wyoming to Utah and Nevada:
TransWest Express LLC plans to construct and operate a more than 700 mile, 600 kV, transmission line which is estimated by the developer to create 1,035-1,550 direct jobs per year at peak construction. This project will facilitate the development of new wind projects in Wyoming.
|
| 3/31/2010 | Memorandum of Understanding |
daho Power and PacifiCorp today announced their companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to review potential partnership opportunities in providing essential electricity transmission to customers in the region. The two utilities already are working together on a segment of the proposed Gateway West Transmission Line between Downey, Idaho and the new Hemingway substation, located southwest of Boise. This new MOU will open discussions relating to the termination of certain existing agreements between the utilities to be replaced by joint ownership transmission arrangements and also the joint development, construction and ownership of new transmission projects associated with portions of the proposed Gateway West Transmission Line located in Idaho, and Idaho Power’s proposed transmission line between Hemingway substation and Boardman, Oregon. Though non-binding, the MOU reflects both companies’ commitment to reaching agreements on these matters, to the benefit of customers. The MOU enables strategic discussions between the companies with the purpose of more efficiently utilizing the existing transmission system and potential partnership on new projects to preserve the companies’ rights on behalf of, and for the benefit of, their native load customers and to satisfy their capacity expansion responsibilities under their respective Open Access Transmission Tariffs. Subsequent definitive agreements reached by the companies will be subject to applicable state and federal regulatory approvals.
|
| 2/24/2010 | Next Steps for B2H Transmission Line Project |
Idaho Power staff and Project Advisory Team members associated with the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (B2H) will meet between March 2 and March 10 to unveil the full analysis of the members’ proposed routes for the project. Analysis was conducted by TetraTech – a third-party engineering firm retained to assist in the project. The routes analyzed by TetraTech were identified by the various community members during formal mapping sessions which the company led across the Boardman to Hemingway footprint in late 2009.
A total of five meetings will be held in a variety of locations:
March 2 - Canyon City, OR at the Canyon City Community Hall, 131 Washington Street
March 3 - Baker City, OR at the Community Connections Senior Center, 2810 Cedar Street
March 4 - Boardman, OR, at the Port of Morrow Convention Center, 2 Marine Drive
March 9 - Ontario, OR, at the Four Rivers Convention Center, 676 SW Fifth Ave.
March 10 - Burns, OR, at the Harney County Community Center, 484 N. Broadway Ave.
Kent McCarthy, the Community Advisory Process project leader for Idaho Power said he is excited to unveil the findings from the analysis. “The various Project Advisory Teams located in Oregon and Idaho have done an incredible job identifying these routes. The critical insight provided by these teams into possible routes helped Idaho Power achieve our goals of building the line while allowing us to do so in a manner that fits local community criteria.” At the meeting, the Project Advisory Team will have the opportunity to evaluate the analysis results and provide input on a possible proposed route.
Once the routes are finalized, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the lead agency responsible for the National Environmental Policy Act process, will hold a scoping period during which project information and maps are shared with the public and additional comments and input is received. The BLM will then work with cooperating agencies to determine which routes will be analyzed in detail in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement– a process expected to take approximately six months.
Another agenda topic for the meeting includes the company’s discussions with PacifiCorp who is considering joint development and ownership opportunities in the Project. “Joint development opportunities with other utilities like PacifiCorp allow us to share development costs and reduce some of the risk associated with a transmission project of this size,” said Vern Porter, vice president of Delivery Engineering and Operations.
Both companies published 2009 Integrated Resource Plans addressing transmission capacity constraints in the Pacific Northwest. The Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project creates transmission alternatives to meet needs for both parties. Bonneville Power Administration has also shown interest and is investigating possible opportunities.
Information, maps and schedules for the Boardman to Hemingway project are available at www.boardmantohemingway.com. Public comments and questions also may be submitted through the Web site.
|
|