U.S. Interior Approves Ten West Link Power Line to Support Renewables in Arizona, California

The Biden administration on July 14 announced the Interior Department’s authorization to build the Ten West Link Transmission Project, which aims to assist renewable energy growth and distribution in Arizona and California. The project aims to lower consumers’ energy costs and enhance the U. S. electricity grid in the West by enabling at least 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on public lands by 2025. Moreover, the project will offer vital transmission infrastructure to strengthen the growth of upcoming wide-ranging solar energy resources and will enhance the reliability of the bulk power system for customers in the two states.

The new transmission on public lands is expected to help speed up the nation’s transition into a clean energy economy, and create new jobs, lower consumer costs, and boost local economies. The initial scoping of the project began in March 2016, with the draft environmental impact statement being released in August in 2018. The final environmental impact statement looked into depth at various alternatives and chose a 125 mile long route, located predominantly near existing utility corridors or parallel to active infrastructure.

The Bureau of Land Management’s “notice to proceed” permits Delaney Colorado River Transmission LLC to begin building the 125-mile transmission line that will link current substations near Tonopah, Arizona and Blythe, California. The agency has worked diligently with a number of key stakeholders to ensure the most efficient route for the pipeline. The BLM aligned reviews with other organizations including various councils, local communities, and tribal leaders, in order to make a well-timed and advised decision. The plan for the power line follows the record of decision grounded on the 2019 final environmental impact report and accepted revisions to the Yuma Field Office Resource Management Plan and California Desert Conservation Area Plan.