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12 April 2007 - TransCanada is close to having agreements in place with enough
southwestern USA utilities to move ahead with detailed permitting and siting for two 500-kV power lines that would run from Montana and Wyoming to southern Nevada.
"It looks like we're approaching the tipping point in securing commitments from utilities to back the two lines in TransCanada's NorthernLights project", said Michael Hogan, TransCanada vice president for business development, to the Nevada Public Utilities Commission. "There's increasing interest in the project that aims to deliver clean coal fired and wind capacity to Arizona, California and Nevada", he added.
TransCanada plans soon to begin the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council's planning process, Hogan said. TransCanada envisions building two, roughly 1000-mile DC lines with up to 3000 MW capacity each. The lines would cost $1.4-$2 bn each. The company has agreements in place with generators developing more than 15 000 MW, Hogan said.
At the same time, TransCanada is in talks with utilities in the Southwest to take equity stakes in the project, Hogan said. The lines may be built in stages, depending on the needs of utilities, Hogan said.
The company plans to start construction in 2009 and bring the lines into service in 2012, he said.
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