Vantage to Pomona FEIS Index 34 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 1 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Purpose and Need PAGE 1-7 Cooperating Agencies with expertise and/or review, approval, and permitting authority are: 1) JBLM YTC 2) BPA 3) Reclamation 4) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 5) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 6) WSDOT 7) Washington Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) 8) WDFW 9) DNR 10) Grant County 11) Kittitas County 12) Yakima County 1.2 SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT Pacific Power proposes to construct, operate and maintain a new 230 kV transmission line from Pacific Power’s Pomona Heights Substation located just east of Selah, Washington in Yakima County to BPA’s Vantage Substation located just east of the Wanapum Dam in Grant County, Washington (Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2). As proposed by Pacific Power, most of the transmission line would be constructed on H-frame wood structures between 65 and 90 feet tall. In developed areas, single wood or steel monopole structures between 80 and 110 feet tall would be used. The transmission line would cross the Columbia River either below Wanapum Dam or below the Priest Rapids Dam (depending on the Action Alternative) on steel lattice structures that are approximately 200 feet tall. The existing Pacific Power Pomona Heights Substation and the existing BPA Vantage Substation would be upgraded by installing new equipment connecting the new 230 kV transmission line to the regional electric grid. 1.3 BACKGROUND 1.3.1 Proponent Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp which has 1.7 million customers in six western states. Pacific Power provides electric service to almost 730,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and northern California. Pacific Power, as a regulated utility, is required to provide safe and reliable service for all customers within its service territory. 1.3.2 Third-Party Contractor POWER Engineers, Inc. (POWER), BLM’s NEPA consultant, is assisting with the preparation of this FEIS. POWER has certified that it does not have any financial or other interest in the decisions to be made pursuant to this FEIS. 1.3.3 Regional Transmission System Study The WECC, in conjunction with the NERC, has established System Planning and Operating Criteria that all transmission providers within the Western Interconnection must follow when planning and operating their transmission systems (NERC and WECC 2005; WECC 2008; NERC 2009). These standards and criteria require transmission providers to evaluate expected normal and potential abnormal operating