wiUSA December 2013

The US government has approved the majority of a 1,600km HVAC transmission line to strengthen the national grid and to encourage greater development of renewable power. The Gateway West transmission line will carry up to 1.5GW of capacity from southern Wyoming to southern Idaho, and is being developed by the Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power utilities. Wyoming is the least populated state in the country, but Windpower Intelligence has calculated that the 2020 wind energy pipeline will be 6,975MW, the second highest of any US state. The power will need to be moved to more densely populated areas. "The line will strengthen the Western grid, bringing a diversified portfolio of renewable and conventional energy to meet the region's projected growth in electricity demand," said interior secretary Sally Jewell, announcing the project. "When built, these projects will help increase electric reliability, integrate new renewable energy into the grid, and save consumers money," she added. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power proposed the line as ten segments beginning near Glenrock, Wyoming, and ending at the Hemingway substation in Idaho. Transmission approval

wiredInUSA - December 2013

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