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. In addition, 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 our customers throughout the region.

The proposed route for Gateway West's Windstar to Populus segment extends from eastern Wyoming to a transmission hub, the newly completed Populus substation, near Downey, Idaho. The proposed route for the Populus to Hemingway segment continues from the Populus substation across the state to a point southwest of Boise, Idaho.

Project Timeline

• Public Scoping – June 2008
• Environmental Impact Statement – 2008 - 2013
• Public outreach – June 2008 through project completion
• Permitting and obtaining rights of way – 2011- 2015
• Estimated line in service for customers – 2015 - 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 Public Scoping meetings. BLM oversees this process and will continue to host public meetings to collect official public comments.

The BLM published the draft Environmental Impact Statement on July 29, 2011, initiating a 90-day public comment period on the document that was completed Oct. 28, 2011. During this period, BLM held 17 public open house meetings in various communities along the proposed and alternate routes. The public was encouraged to review the draft EIS and provide comments to the BLM regarding this project. Additional information and updates about the project are given below and also can be found on BLM's website.

*This table is intended to reflect proposed resources that would depend on Gateway West and is not representative of requests for transmission service or capacity rights on Gateway West. These include the company’s planned resources, according to its 2011 Integrated Resource Plan Preferred Portfolio, and third-party requests in PacifiCorp’s generation interconnection queue as of January 2012.

Public Participation

The final Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to be released in November of 2012 at which time there will a 60-day public comment period. The BLM will then issue a Record of Decision providing an easement for the project. This Record of Decision is scheduled to be released in June of 2013. More information can be found on BLM's website.

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 throughout this process.

Prior to the release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, the BLM initiated the public environmental review process for this project with a series of open house meetings in June 2008. Our company 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 comprehensive listing of meetings, publications and other public outreach, please see the updated meeting list (PDF).

To be placed on the mailing list or 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
Or email Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov

To contact Rocky Mountain Power about this transmission project, please call the major construction projects message line at 801-220-4221, or email ConstructionProjects@pacificorp.com. Please be sure to include the project name – "Gateway West project" – in your inquiry.

Gateway West

Maps can be viewed below:

• Project overview map
• Segment maps 
• Land ownership maps

Further information also can be found on our Gateway West newsletter (PDF) or at our Gateway West website. 

Project History

2007

• May – Companies filed an application with the BLM for an easement across federal lands.

2008

• Throughout the year – Both companies met with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the project.
• May 12 - Notice of Intent is issued by the BLM to notify the public that the public process for the project had begun.
• June – BLM held nine public scoping meetings.
• December - Companies held nine landowner meetings.

2009

• Throughout the year – Companies continued to meet with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the status of the project.
• January - Application filed with BLM to perform geotechnical studies along the routes.
• March through November - Companies held public landowner meetings in various communities throughout Idaho and Wyoming.
• July – More than 6,300 newsletters (PDF) sent to landowners and interested parties providing information about the project.

2010

• July - Environmental Assessment for Geotechnical Drilling released by BLM with finding of no significant impact.
• August –More than 11,400 newsletters (PDF) sent to landowners and interested parties providing an update on the project.
• September - BLM approved right of way grant to allow for geotechnical studies to be conducted on BLM-managed land.

2011

• Throughout the year – Companies continued to meet with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties to brief them on the status of the project.
• January – More than 10,300 newsletters (PDF) sent to landowners and interested parties providing an update on the project.
• July 29 - BLM published in Federal Register a Notice of Availability announcing draft EIS release, followed by a 90-day public comment period.
• September/October 2011 - BLM hosted 17 public open houses on the draft EIS throughout the project area.
• October 28 – Draft EIS public comment period closed at midnight.
   

Next Steps

• Companies continue to meet with elected officials, community leaders and other interested parties.
• Continue with field work and permitting activities as necessary.
   

(Updated January 31, 2012)