Gateway West

Energy use is on the rise and demand is fast approaching the limits of the existing electrical system. This growth 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.

As part of PacifiCorp's Energy Gateway Transmission Expansion Project, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power are planning to build a new high-voltage transmission line across southern Wyoming and southern Idaho. This project, called Gateway West, will stretch approximately 1,100 miles and supply present and future needs of customers. The project also will enhance electric system reliability in the service areas of both companies. In addition, Gateway West will enable electricity generated from existing and new resources, including wind, to be delivered to customers throughout the region.

The proposed route for Gateway West's Windstar to Populus segment extends from eastern Wyoming to a hub near Downey, Idaho, where it will connect with a segment that will continue through to western Idaho. The proposed route for the Populus to Hemingway segment runs from a planned transmission hub near Downey, Idaho, across the state to a point southwest of Boise, Idaho.

Project Timeline

• Public Scoping – June 2008
• Environmental Impact Statement process – 2008 - 2012
• Public outreach – June 2008 - project completion
• Permitting and obtaining rights of way – 2011 - 2014
• Estimated line in service for customers – 2014 - 2018

Additional Information About the Project

Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Land Management is currently developing an Environmental Impact Statement on Gateway West – a process that began in June 2008 with open house Public Scoping meetings. BLM has oversight of this process and hosted these meetings to collect official public comments. For more information, please visit BLM's Web site.

Gateway West maps can be viewed below:

• Project overview map
• Segment maps 
• Land ownership maps

Further information also can be found at our Gateway West Web site. 

Public Participation

Public input is an important part of the transmission line development process and is welcomed at all stages. In addition to public, group and individual meetings, project materials and newsletters also have been sent to landowners and other interested parties.

The Bureau of Land Management held open house meetings June 2008 as part of the environmental review process for this project. Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power hosted additional meetings in December 2008 to gather input from landowners and other interested parties in Montpelier, Murphy, Pocatello and Twin Falls, Idaho, and in Glenrock, Kemmerer, Rawlins and Rock Springs, Wyoming. Follow-up landowner meetings were then held in Douglas, Glenrock and Sinclair, Wyoming, and in American Falls, Bruneau, Burley, Gooding, Grand View, Kuna, Melba and Twin Falls, Idaho. For a more comprehensive listing of the various outreach efforts, please see the meeting list (PDF).

To submit an official public comment on the Gateway West Transmission Line Project, please contact the BLM directly at: 
  
Bureau of Land Management 
Gateway West Project 
P. O. Box 20879 
Cheyenne, WY 82003 
Ore-mail Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov 

To contact us about this transmission project, please call 801-220-4221 or e-mail ConstructionProjects@pacificorp.com. Please be sure to include the project name –"Gateway West" – in your inquiry.

(Updated January 14, 2010)