The Obama Administration announced the approval of two major transmission lines, one that will travel 728 miles across southern Wyoming to Nevada, delivering 3,000 megawatts of energy, enough to power 1.8 million homes. A second 400-mile transmission line called Energy Gateway South has also been approved for Utah.
Some 60 new wind, solar and geothermal projects are slated for development around the West. Bureau of Land Management spokesman Brad Purdy said, the energy grid is in need of such modernization.
“I believe that the Chokecherry-Sierra Madre wind energy project, these transmission lines will be passing very close to where that project will be. So it only makes sense that Chokecherry and both of these transmission lines are working together to bring that wind energy from Wyoming to the rest of the West,” said Purdy.
Purdy said, the new transmission lines will help deliver renewable energy to consumers who want access to more clean energy.
“It’s going to provide a lot of jobs in Wyoming, it’s going to be bringing the energy that’s created in Wyoming to other states across the West, so I think it’s a good project,” said Purdy
Purdy says the two new renewable energy transmission lines, will bring about 2,300 jobs to Western states.