BPA’s $2 billion ‘Evolving Grid’ projects include 53-mile power line to La Pine, new substation in Crook County
(Update: Adding video, comments from BPA spokesman)
POWELL BUTTE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bonneville Power Administration said Wednesday it is moving forward with more than $2 billion in multiple transmission substation and line projects necessary to reinforce the grid, including a new substation near Prineville and 53-mile power line to La Pine in fast-growing Central Oregon.
Doug Johnson, a senior spokesman with the BPA, told us Thursday, "What it represents is response to growth in the (Central Oregon) area. It's just an indication of how much energy use there is in that part of our service territory right now and the growing needs."
The BPA has a substation east of La Pine, where new electric lines would be set up initially for the new project.
But as of now, they might have to buy existing private property in Crook County, in order to pull off the project.
"We have to find a place where there is a willing landowner who will negotiate with us. With the influx of people to the Northwest, and the growth in that part of Oregon, there's a need for new facilities," Johnson told NewsChannel 21.
The BPA estimates the power line project may cost as much as $70 million, with an estimated date for the power lines to energize by winter 2029.
"We don't have kind of defined options for a line that would run between those two points you identified for the new substation, the current substation in Prineville. So a lot of work has to be done on that front," Johnson said.
The project also is subject to an environmental review under federal policy.
After that, the BPA will make the decision on whether to build the project in the proposed area.
The full press release from the BPA is available below:
These projects are intended to increase capacity and accommodate regional growth, as well as an abundance of new, clean energy resources, the federal power-marketing agency said.
They noted that the projects still must undergo environmental review and, if constructed, would support thousands of megawatts of renewable energy added to the power grid and help Oregon and Washington customers meet 2030 clean energy targets.
“This move demonstrates a strong commitment to our customers and advances their efforts to meet state clean energy mandates,” said John Hairston, BPA administrator and CEO. “We are setting the stage for an infrastructure decade that should significantly advance our efforts to respond to transmission interconnection and service requests and generate sufficient revenue to allow us to keep rates low.”
Six of the projects would reinforce existing major BPA transmission lines that run from east to west, allowing the flow of energy from the east side of the region to load centers such as the Puget Sound area and Portland. These projects, combined with a handful of smaller projects near Seattle and Portland, would reinforce transmission lines that deliver electricity to BPA customers who serve retail loads in those areas.
“Portland General Electric is excited to learn of BPA’s decision to accelerate work on several transmission projects critical for the region and PGE’s customers,” said Maria Pope, PGE CEO. “These transmission projects would enable the reliable delivery of new clean and affordable resources to PGE’s customers and will support economic growth.”
“The transmission investments that BPA is accelerating today are an important first step in enabling the transmission improvements we must have in place to bring clean energy resources to PSE’s customers and help meet our future requirements under the Clean Energy Transformation Act,” said Mary Kipp, president and CEO of Puget Sound Energy.
“I am proud of Bonneville Power Administration’s forward-leaning action plan to accelerate the development of new transmission in the Pacific Northwest,” said David Crane, Department of Energy under secretary for infrastructure. “This multi-project transmission upgrade program will put Bonneville, its customers across the Northwest and utility partners at the forefront of the nation’s transition to clean energy while reinforcing its historic mission of safe, affordable and resilient energy for all.”
Early estimates indicate the projects would collectively cost approximately $1.35 billion, with expected energization between 2025 and 2032. If all are energized, they would provide at least 6,000 megawatts of additional capacity on BPA’s transmission network.
In addition, BPA is working on four projects in Central Oregon, where utilities are experiencing significant growth and are attracting large commercial customers.
The projects consist of one new transmission line and three substations. They are estimated to cost $839 million and could accommodate new service for incoming large customers and regional load growth while maintaining high reliability.
Under the current plans, the Bonanza "hub substation" would be built near BPA's Ponderosa Substation, near Prineville. It's estimated the 115/230/500-kilovolt substation will be completed in late 2027.
A related project would be a new 53-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line between the new Bonanza Substation and BPA's La Pine Substation. The agency expects to complete that project by late 2029.
“Central Electric Cooperative is thrilled with BPA’s announcement to commit funding toward building a new substation in Central Oregon to help meet the rapid load growth in the area. As a BPA customer, Central Electric has worked tirelessly with BPA to help make this a reality,” said Brad Wilson, Central Electric Cooperative president and CEO. “Expanding its electric and transmission infrastructure will allow for greater economic development and ensure long-term electric reliability to meet our members' needs.”
BPA also plans to build a 230/500kV new substation called Six Mile Canyon near Boardman, by late 2026 or early 2027, and to rebuild the Buckley Substation in Sherman County by late 2027. It would be a new, air-insulated 500-kV substation and would be built near an existing gas-insulated substation, which would be retired.
BPA spokesman Doug Johnson said the money would come from the agency's capital reserves and a large increase in borrowing authority from the U.S. Treasury.
“Working collaboratively with our members, community leaders and area stakeholders, Umatilla Electric continues to successfully bolster economic development opportunities in Eastern Oregon,” said Robert Echenrode, general manger/CEO of Umatilla Electric Cooperative. “We appreciate BPA’s support of the continued expansion in our region and look forward to working with BPA to support these and other transmission system investments to meet our members’ future needs,”
These projects are a major part of BPA’s Evolving Grid effort that is designed to take a long view of customer and regional transmission needs over the next two decades. The list of potential projects is likely to expand when BPA finalizes the 2023 Cluster Study.
Learn more about the Evolving Grid effort and view maps of the projects here.
About BPA
The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale, carbon-free hydropower from 31 federal dams in the Columbia River Basin. It also markets the output of the region’s only nuclear plant. BPA delivers this power to more than 140 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA also owns and operates more than 15,000 circuit miles of high-voltage power lines and 261 substations, and provides transmission service to more than 300 customers. In all, BPA provides nearly a third of the power generated in the Northwest. To mitigate the impacts of the federal dams, BPA implements a fish and wildlife program that includes working with its partners to make the federal dams safer for fish passage. It also pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain safe, affordable, reliable electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov
