Eastern Plains Transmission Project

Project description

Western proposes to participate in the construction of the Eastern Plains Transmission Project with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., in exchange for capacity rights on the transmission lines. These rights would provide Western with approximately 275 megawatts of system capacity on the proposed transmission system. Western needs this additional transmission system capacity to provide more economical, reliable, diverse and flexible power delivery to customers.

Western proposes to participate the Eastern Plains Project with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., in exchange for capacity rights on the transmission lines.

Western will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to evaluate the effects of constructing, operating, and maintaining approximately 750 miles of 500-kV transmission lines and approximately 250 miles of 230- or 345-kV transmission line; constructing four new substations; expanding eight existing substations; installing a fiber-optic communication system for the transmission lines; and constructing and maintaining associated access roads.

The Project study area includes part or all of the following counties in Colorado: Adams, Arapahoe, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Elbert, El Paso, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Morgan, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, Washington and Yuma; and in Kansas: Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Logan, Scott, Sherman, Thomas, Wallace and Wichita.

Western's project activities would include construction planning and management; acquiring easements for transmission lines, adccess roads and other facilities; constructing approximately 1,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and four new substations; expanding eight existing substations; building associated access roads; and installing a fiber optic communications system for the transmission lines. Western currently owns and would continue to own, operate and maintain Midway Substation. Western would also own the right of way it would acquire for the project. Tri-State would lease the right of way from Western and own, operate and maintain all other project facilities.

Participation in the project will provide several benefits to Western and its customers, including:

• lower cost access to firm power customers in southern Colorado
• access to more diverse and less expensive generation
• increased usage of Western's transmission system, which decreases costs for all users
• improved transmission system reliability and flexibility
• new interconnection opportunities for transmission customers.