More than $900 million of new transmission projects were announced in March, according to TransmissionHub data.
The bulk of the $903.8 million of new project investment announced last month mostly comprised New Hampshire Transmission’s $800 million SeaLink project. The project involves underground and underwater cable running from Seabrook, N.H., to the Mystic substation in Everett, Mass. The 68-mile, 220-kV project is scheduled to enter service in 2018. A final decision on the project is expected by mid-2014 with construction to start in late 2015 or early 2016.
BC Hydro announced the Terrace to Kitimat transmission project involving 32 miles of 287-kV double-circuit line. The new $80 million line will run from the Minette substation to the Skeena substation and is expected online in late 2018.
Other project announcements in March include Public Service Co. of Oklahoma’s Western Oklahoma Transmission Reinforcement project. The 70-mile, 345-kV build-out involves a new substation in western Oklahoma.
Oncor Delivery Co. announced the 10-mile, $13.8 million Benedum to Centralia double-circuit 138-kV project expected online later this year. The company proposed the line to meet growing oil and natural gas demand in Upton County, Texas.
In other news, Otter Tail Power Co.’s $226.7 million Big Stone South to Brookings gained approval from the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. The project involves 76 miles of double-circuit 345-kV line and is expected online in early 2017.
Electric Transmission Texas’ Cross Valley Project’s final route was approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. The 96-mile, double-circuit 345-kV line is expected online in mid-2016.
Lake Erie Power Corp’s Lake Erie CleanPower Connector project’s online date has been pushed from 2017 to 2018.
Clean Line Energy Partners filed in Missouri for regulatory approval of the Grain Belt Express project. The $2.2 billion line involves 750 miles of 600-kV construction across Kansas and Missouri, of which $500 million and 206 miles are attributable to the Missouri portion of the project.
The California ISO selected San Diego Gas & Electric and Citizens Energy to sponsor the Sycamore to Penasquitos 230-kV project in Southern California. The project spans 16.4 miles and is expected online in mid-2017.
The final route for Dominion Virginia Power’s Warrenton Wheeler Gainesville Reliability Project was determined. The project involves 13 miles of 230-kV double-circuit construction at an estimated cost of $95 million. The line will run from the Remington substation to Loudoun County substation in Virginia.
