The TransWest Express project will extend from south-central Wyoming through northwestern Colorado and central Utah to end in southern Nevada, and will transmit clean energy produced by the more than 3GW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy project located in Carbon County, Wyoming
US BLM issues NTP for the construction of the 3GW TransWest Express transmission project. (Credit: Tom from Pixabay)
The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a notice to proceed (NTP) for the construction of the 3GW TransWest Express transmission project (TWE project), a 1,178km high-voltage transmission line that will traverse four states in the US.
The TransWest Express project will be laid from south-central Wyoming through northwestern Colorado and central Utah to end in southern Nevada.
TransWest Express, a fully owned subsidiary of Anschutz, is the developer of the high-voltage transmission line project.
Federal land will be used for nearly two-thirds of the TransWest Express project.
The notice to proceed is the final step in the BLM authorisation process that commenced in 2008, stated the company.
The TransWest project has obtained 100% of the linear rights-of-way along with the required authorisations from the four states and 14 counties that will host the project.
TransWest president and CEO Bill Miller said: “Achieving the BLM NTP milestone provides important certainty that is needed as we work to complete other pre-construction steps such as finalising our EPC contractor team.
“We plan on commencing construction activities on the TWE Project before the end of the year.”
Construction of the transmission line project is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs.
The TransWest Express project will transmit clean energy produced by the more than 3GW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy project located in Carbon County, Wyoming.
BLM stated that the TransWest Express project is the second high-voltage, multi-state transmission line that BLM Wyoming State Office has completed within the past year.
Siemens Energy is the HVDC technology supplier for the high-voltage transmission line project.
The initial phase of the TransWest Express project is anticipated to be completed in 2027.
BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said: “Public lands continue to play a vital role in advancing President Biden’s goal of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.
“This large-scale transmission line will put people to work across our public lands and will help deliver clean, renewable energy. Our responsible use of public lands today can help ensure a clean energy future for us all.”