transmission line

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) energized and brought into service a new 500-kV transmission line in southeastern Washington. The 38-mile, single-circuit line connects BPA's Central Ferry Substation near the Port of Central Ferry in Garfield County, Wash., to BPA's Lower Monumental Substation in Walla Walla County. The line increases the electrical capacity of BPA's transmission system in response to requests for transmission service in this area.

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation began the application and approval process for the first segment of Project Compass - a new transmission line proposed by PPL Electric Utilities. The first segment is a 95-mile, $500-million to $600-million line between Blakely, Pa., and Ramapo, N.Y. The proposed 345-kV line links the PJM Interconnection and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO).

Dominion Virginia Power was recognized by the Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE), a nonprofit organization of investor-owned electric utility companies, for successfully and innovatively rebuilding a critical 96-mile, 500-kV transmission line from Mount Storm, W.Va., to Doubs, Md. The SEE selected the project based on excellence in achievement, innovation, improvements, requirements and technical complexity.

Abengoa and Starwood Energy’s joint venture was selected by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) as the approved sponsor to finance, construct, own, operate and maintain the Delaney to Colorado River 500-kV transmission line project. Abengoa and Starwood Energy will undertake joint development of the 114-mile transmission line, reinforcing the electrical interconnection between both California and Arizona. Abengoa will undertake construction, operation and maintenance of the transmission line.

ITC Lake Erie Connector, a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., filed a major permit application with Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) for the ITC Lake Erie Connector transmission line. The ITC Lake Erie Connector is a proposed 1000 MW, bi-directional, HVDC merchant transmission line that will provide the first direct link between the markets of the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and PJM Interconnection (PJM).

Minnesota Power completed commissioning the latest phase of its Bison Wind Energy Center. The 205-MW expansion makes it the largest wind farm in North Dakota. All 64 turbines within the 35-square-mile boundaries of Bison 4 are now generating renewable energy, which is delivered to the company's customers via a 465-mile direct current transmission line linking Center, N.D., and Duluth, Minn. In total, the nearly 500 MW produced by Bison's 165 turbines rank it as North Dakota's largest wind farm in terms of electric generating capacity. 

As part of a regional upgrade to the transmission grid in southeastern Ohio and West Virginia, AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power, and the AEP Ohio Transmission Company plan to replace the existing wire on a 345-kV transmission line that runs from Waterford, Ohio, to New Haven, West Virginia. All of the work will take place within existing transmission line right of way, and more than 90 percent of it will be done on existing towers.

Mon Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, installed new conductors near Morgantown on a 138,000-volt transmission line to handle future load growth in the Monongalia County area. The $5 million project includes three phases, with all the work occurring on existing right-of-way. The transmission line upgrade is expected to be completed before year's end.

PAR Electrical Contractors, a Quanta Services company, was selected by Southern California Edison to complete construction of segment seven and portions of segment eight of its Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) in California. PAR's scope of work under the contract includes the installation of double circuit 500-kV overhead transmission line, environmental mitigation and compliance, foundation installation, tower erection and conductor installation.

The Northern Pass, a proposed transmission line carrying renewable hydroelectric power to New Hampshire and New England, cleared a regulatory milestone by securing 'I.3.9 approval' by ISO New England, the operators of the region's power grid. The I.3.9 process determines whether Northern Pass can reliably interconnect with the New England grid.