Wyoming Infrastructure Authority:
Pioneering Transmission Expansion in the West

Abundant Energy:
Wyoming is second to none in the U.S. when it comes to energy resources. We're number one in coal and high-quality wind and in the top three for natural gas. And our economic development programs and policies are generator friendly.

New Transmission:
Transmission is the critical link between generation facilities and customer markets. More than 13,000 megawatts of transmission capacity - originating in Wyoming and connecting with major population centers in the West - is under development, representing potentially more than $10 billion in investment.

Interested Customers:
From Denver to Salt Lake City, Phoenix to Las Vegas and on to Southern California, the West is full of markets needing new sources of energy to keep up with escalating customer demand. And whether it's a desire for renewables or additions to baseload capacity, Wyoming offers the breadth of energy resources to meet the need.

Where Transmission and Generation Meet
The Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) has been active since 2005 in furthering its charter by participating-in and encouraging the strategic development of new transmission facilities to satisfy demand in strategic load centers in targeted area in the West. In addition, the WIA has identified new generation development of nearly 20,000 MW consisting of both renewable and thermal development made up of 60 distinct projects in Wyoming.

Transmission projects currently in the development stage include:

Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Transmission Project (WCI)

• New 345 kV AC transmission line between Wyoming and the Front Range of Colorado delivering Wyoming generation in Wyoming to Colorado
• Capacity: 850 MW
• Length: 180 miles
• In-service Date: 2013
• Cost: < $300 Million
• Developers: Trans-Elect; Western Area Power Administration; Wyoming Infrastructure Authority
• WECC Path Rating Process: Phase I complete; currently in Phase II
• ROW & Permitting Status: Will proceed after the awarding of capacity via Open Season
• Status:
  • FERC-sanctioned Open Season commenced on March 31,2008 and, if the auction is successful, winning bidders will be announced in early August, 2008
  • Project has been entered into the WECC, CCPG regional planning group
  • PSCO's pending resource plan and procurement of wind are key enablers - regulatory approval due in Fall, 2008
• Business Model: merchant model, end market(s): LSE's in Colorado
• Complementary Projects:
  • PSCo's expansion of their system in N/E Colorado
• Links: http://www.wyia.org/wci and www.wcintertie.com

TransWest Express Transmission Project (TWX)
• New 500 kV direct current (DC) line between Wyoming through Utah to Las Vegas
• Capacity: 3,000 MW
• Length: >800 miles
• In-service date: 2015
• Cost: >$2.5 Billion
• Developers: Have included Arizona Public Service, National Grid and Wyoming Infrastructure Authority. Development team is currently being redefined with a resolution expected in July, 2008
• WECC Path Rating Process: Phase I
• ROW & Permitting Status: Formal application has been filed with the BLM in 2007; RFP for 3rd party contractor for NEPA compliance has been issued. Working; and a common EIS with GWS has been required by the BLM
• Status:
  • Initial feasibility studies completed
  • Stakeholder meetings have been held in Utah, Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada
  • Actively involved in the identification of generation developers to support the project
  • Exploring "anchor tenant" approach to further development support
  • Project has been entered into the WECC, NTTG regional planning group
• Business Model: Merchant or anchor tenant model, end market(s): LSE's in Arizona, Nevada and Southern California
• Complementary Projects: see Gateway South project below. Also:
  • Palo Verde - Devers #2 - 500 kV line (on hold)
  • EOR 9300 Project
  • Palo Verde - North Gila #2 - 500 kV line
  • Mona-Terminal - 2 500 kV lines
  • Populus-Terminal - 2 345 kV lines
• Links: http://www.wyia.org/projects

Gateway South Transmission Project (GWS)
• New 500kV AC transmission line from Wyoming to central Utah, then through southwestern Utah into Nevada
• Capacity: 3,000MW
• Length: Part of 1,200 miles of new 500kV transmission lines PacifiCorp plans to build to address long-term native-load and third party needs in its six-state service territory (WY, UT, ID, OR, WA, CA)
• In-service date: 2014
• Cost: >$2 Billion
• Developers: PacifiCorp is leading the development
• WECC Path Rating Process: Phase I
• ROW & Permitting Status: Formal application has been filed with the BLM in 2007; 3rd party contractor for NEPA compliance has been retained; and a common EIS with TWX is supported by the BLM
• Status:
  • Feasibility studies have been completed
  • Third party transmission requests are being vetted
  • Stakeholder meetings have been held in Utah, Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada.
  • Project has been entered into the WECC, NTTG and SWAT regional planning groups
• Business Model: Utility rate base model, end market(s): to address PacifiCorp's native-load needs and third party transmission service requests
• Complementary Projects: see Gateway West project below. Also:
  • Palo Verde - Devers #2 Project
  • EOR 9300 Project
  • Palo Verde - North Gila Project
  • TWX Project
  • GWW Project
• Links: http://www.pacificorp.com/File/File75005 http://www.wyia.org/projects

Gateway West Project (GWW)
• New 500 kV transmission lines between Wyoming, Idaho, terminating in southern Oregon
• Capacity: 3,000 MW to Utah and 2,500 MW to Oregon
• Length: Part of 1,200 miles of new 500kV transmission lines PacifiCorp plans to build to address long-term native-load needs in its six-state service territory
• In-service Date: 2013
• Cost: >$2 Billion
• Developers: PacifiCorp and Idaho Power (lead developer)
• WECC Path Rating Process: Phase I
• ROW & Permitting Status: Formal application has been filed with the BLM in 2007; Currently purchasing some ROW
• Status:
  • Feasibility studies/Power Flow analyses continuing
  • Project has been entered into the WECC, NTTG regional planning group
  • Third party transmission service requests are being vetted
  • 3rd party contractor to BLM has been hired
• Business Model: Utilities rate-base, end market(s): to address PacifiCorp's and Idaho Power's native-load and third party needs
• Complementary Projects:
  • GWS Project
  • Mountain States Transmission Intertie Project
  • Hemingway-Boardman Project
  • Western Idaho-Captain Jack Project
  • SWIP North Project
• Links: http://www.pacificorp.com/File/File75005 http://www.nttg.biz/site

High Plains Express Transmission Project (HPX)
• New 500 kV AC transmission lines between Wyoming and Arizona with on-ramps and off-ramps in Colorado and New Mexico
• Capacity: 3,500 MW
• Length: 1,280 miles
• In-service Date: 2017
• Cost: >$5 Billion
• Developers: Trans-Elect Development Company; Western Area Power Administration; Tri-state G&T; Colorado Springs Utilities; Public Service Company of New Mexico, Salt River Project; and Xcel Energy (Public Service Co of CO); New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department; Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority; and Wyoming Infrastructure Authority
• WECC Path Rating Process: project is scheduled to enter the Phase I process in 2009
• ROW & Permitting Status: Scheduled to occur in 2009
• Status:
  • Feasibility study completed
  • Executive committee has been formed to further the oversight of the development process
  • Project has been introduced into the WECC, CCPG and SWAT/West Connect regional planning groups
• Business Model: Yet to be defined, could be a combination of utility rate-base, merchant and anchor tenant models, end market(s): LSE's in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona
• Complementary Projects:
  • Eastern Plains Project
  • New Mexico Wind Collector (Path 48)
  • Sun Zia Project
• Links: http://www.rmao.com/wtpp/HPX_Studies.html http://www.tristategt.org/RP/Transmission.cfm

Northern Lights Inland Project from Wyoming to Las Vegas
• New 500 kV DC line between the Medicine Bow area in Wyoming to Midpoint, ID and southward down the eastern side of Nevada to the Las Vegas area.
• TransCanada sees this line as one of two transmission lines to Midpoint, the one listed here and another line from Montana (see links below).
• Capacity: 3,000 MW
• Length: 850 miles
• In-service Date: 2012
• Cost: >$2 Billion
• Developers: TransCanada
• WECC Path Rating Process: N/A
• ROW & Permitting Status: Preliminary application has been filed with the BLM
• Status:
  • Cost Recovery Agreement has been drafted
  • Business Model, re: Market(s): LSE's in Nevada, Arizona and California
  • Project has been presented at a NTTG Meeting in 2007
• Complementary Projects:
  • The other leg of the Inland Project from Montana to Borah
  • GWW, GWS and TWX Projects
  • Mountain States Transmission Intertie Project
  • Hemingway-Boardman Project
  • Western Idaho-Captain Jack Project
  • SWIP North Project
• Links: http://www.transcanada.com/company/northernlights.html http://commerce.mt.gov/energy/northern.asp

Wyoming Infrastructure Authority: Aiding Development The Wyoming Infrastructure Authority is tasked with diversifying and growing the state's economy through the development of electric transmission infrastructure. It is responsible for facilitating the planning, financing, building, maintaining and operating of interstate electric transmission projects and corresponding generation.

For more information, contact:
Loyd Drain, Development Director
Wyoming Infrastructure Authority