Gateway South

With energy use on the rise and electrical demand fast approaching the limits of the existing transmission system, new facilities are needed to meet the growing needs. This growth in demand for electrical energy comes from both new and existing customers. Individually, consumers today are using 26 percent more electricity than they did 20 years ago. To meet this increasing demand, new facilities are needed.

Project Overview

As part of PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway Transmission Expansion, the company is planning to build a high-voltage transmission line, known as Gateway South (Segment F), extending approximately 400 miles from the Aeolus substation in southeastern Wyoming into the new Clover substation near Mona, Utah.

As originally envisioned, Gateway South included a core set of facilities needed to meet the long-term energy needs of PacifiCorp customers. Optional facilities were originally included to provide additional capacity for regional benefit if supported by partnerships or other long-term commitments. These optional facilities included a second circuit from Aeolus to Clover and an additional segment from Clover to the Crystal substation in southern Nevada. While there has been significant interest by third parties to participate in the Gateway South project and maximize the project’s transmission capacity, to date none have been able to make a financial commitment that would allow this project to be built to meet broader regional needs. Therefore, the company will proceed with the portion necessary to serve our customers.

For information on an additional Gateway South segment (Segment G), visit the Sigurd to Red Butte page.

Project Timeline

  • Public Scoping – April - June 2011
  • Environmental Impact Statement process – December 2008 - 2015
  • Informational Meetings – 2009 - project completion
  • Estimated line in service for customers – 2017 - 2019
     

Additional Information About the Project

The Bureau of Land Management is currently developing an Environmental Impact Statement on the company's right of way application for this project, a process that began in December 2008. The BLM announced the start of Public Scoping for the project on April 1. Public Scoping continued through June 30, 2011. During this time the BLM obtained comments from interested parties on the project. These comments will be evaluated as the BLM develops the draft EIS. For more details on this process, visit the BLM website.

The BLM Public Scoping meetings were held May 10 through June 2 in Wyoming (Baggs, Rock Springs and Rawlins), Colorado (Craig, Rangely and Grand Junction) and Utah (Roosevelt, Fort Duchesne, Nephi, Price, Mt. Pleasant and Green River).

Additional information about the project can be found on the project fact sheet (PDF).

Public Participation

Public input is a very important part of this process and will be welcomed at all stages of the transmission line development. The company hosted 11 informational meetings in March and April 2011 in Wyoming (Medicine Bow, Rawlins and Baggs), Colorado (Rangely and Craig) and Utah (Duchesne, Vernal, Green River, Price, Fairview and Nephi).

More than 7,700 newsletters (PDF) were mailed to landowners in the study area and other interested parties. For a complete listing of our outreach efforts, please see the updated meeting list (PDF).

Project History

2008

  • December – Company filed original form SF 299, Application for Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands, with BLM.

2009

  • Throughout the year - Company met with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the status of the project.

2010

  • Throughout the year - Company met with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the status of the project.
  • October – Revised SF 299 filed by company, incorporating adjustments to project schedule and scope.

2011

  • Throughout the year - Company met with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the status of the project.
  • April – Notice of Intent (NOI) published in Federal Register.
  • May & June – Public scoping meetings held by BLM. Company participated in the scoping meetings.

Landowner Maps

Gateway South maps can be viewed below:

To contact us about this project, please call us at (801) 220-4221 or e-mail ConstructionProjects@pacificorp.com. Please be sure to include the project name –“Gateway South” – in your inquiry.
 

 

(Updated October 28, 2011)