Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line Project moves forward (Bonneville Power Administration)

38-mile line in southeast Washington will move wind and hydropower west

(PORTLAND, OR) -- The Bonneville Power Administration is moving forward with construction of the Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line Project in Washington. The 38-mile, 500-kilovolt line will connect the new Central Ferry Substation in Garfield County to the existing Lower Monumental Substation in Walla Walla County. Construction is set to begin in spring of 2014. Energization is expected in December 2015.

The project was put on hold in August 2011 because of uncertainty regarding the readiness of customer utilities. BPA customers requested and were given the opportunity to reconsider transmission service commitments that would have required BPA to build the Central Ferry-Lower Monumental line. Now, a recent agreement between Puget Sound Energy and Portland General Electric gives BPA the confidence to move forward. As part of the deal, PSE will transfer 267 megawatts of energy from phase two of the Lower Snake River Wind facility, which PGE has renamed the Tucannon River Wind Farm, and transmission service rights to PGE.

“Our Network Open Season process was designed to help BPA build the right facilities in the right place at the right time backed by strong commercial agreements,” said BPA Acting Administrator Elliot Mainzer. “With this project, we are able to help PGE meet its renewable resource needs at minimal cost to existing network customers.”


BPA completed an environmental review and a preliminary engineering design in early 2011. The agency issued a record of decision to build the line in March 2011.