Montana governor announces multibillion dollar
transmission line
Oct 24, 2006 Associated Press Matt Gouras
HELENA,
Mont. (AP) -- Gov. Brian Schweitzer, joined by industry
executives, announced plans Monday to build one
of the longest electricity transmission lines seen
in the West in 40 years -- a line that would carry
"green" energy to big energy markets thousands of
miles away.
The governor, who has placed coal-to-liquid fuel
facilities as one of his top priorities, said he
is promising to help TransCanada get environmental
permits for the project that the company said could
cost $2 billion.
If successful, the line would run from the coal
fields of Montana to the Las Vegas, Los Angeles
and Phoenix energy markets. It would carry electricity
created by either wind power or synthetic gas derived
from coal to meet clean energy requirements in the
Southwest.
Developers hope to fast-track the project for completion
by 2011, said Brad Thompson, a vice president of
TransCanada, an independent power and infrastructure
company
Many hurdles
exist. In addition to the state and federal permits
that would be required, the company will also need
to secure agreements from utilities to buy energy
over the line and from companies that want to build
the wind power plants and expensive plants to turn
coal gas into electricity.
"But it starts here today," Schweitzer said.
The line, which will be dedicated to exporting electricity,
would carry enough power for roughly 3.5 million
people, or about 3,500 megawatts, Thompson said.
It would travel west from somewhere in eastern Montana,
turn south near Townsend and go through Idaho on
its way to Nevada. Connectors from the Las Vegas
area would run to Los Angeles and Phoenix, the governor
said.
Schweitzer and Thompson said the transmission line
is needed to kick start separate plans to build
big power plants.
Thompson said the line could compete with others
being planned to run from Wyoming to the same energy
markets. He said his company chose Montana because
it believes the state has vast energy reserves and
likes the support that Schweitzer has offered.
The governor said the state Department of Environmental
Quality will work quickly to process needed permits.
He also said he has signed a letter of understanding
with the governors of Idaho and Nevada to help coordinate
permitting for the line.
Schweitzer said the proposal will challenge energy
companies and utilities to start building power
generation in Montana.
Jon Walters with the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers, who also attended Monday's announcement,
said workers will do everything possible to make
sure the project gets built on time and under budget.
It was Schweitzer's second major energy announcement
this month. The governor previously unveiled plans
made by a group of companies to build the nation's
first coal-to-liquid fuel facilities at the Bull
Mountain mine 14 miles south of Roundup.
The Northern Plains Resource Council, which has
been skeptical about the large-scale coal development
such projects could spur, did not immediately return
a call seeking comment Monday.
