Editors Note: This article was originally published in the Oct. 25, 2023 issue of the Chronicle Progress. Some information may be outdated.
Construction on the 732-mile, high-voltage TransWest Express transmission system is underway in Wyoming.
The massive project, which officially broke ground Sept. 19, represents a $1.3 billion investment in Utah, much of it a $500 million terminal set to be built in Delta near the Intermountain Power Project in the next few years.
Construction on the power lines in Utah is anticipated to begin next year.
State lawmakers received an update on the high-profile energy project during a meeting of the legislature’s Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee on Oct. 11.
Kara Choquette, communications director for TransWest, told lawmakers last month’s construction start was the culmination of 14 years of work, including eight years of environmental analysis.
A record of decision was granted the project in December 2016. A notice to proceed was only granted in April.
TransWest is building, initially, two 1,500 megawatt transmission lines, one a direct current line connecting Wyoming wind farms to the company’s planned terminal in Delta, the other an alternating current line connecting Delta to Nevada transmission lines and then onto California customers. The company plans to increase the capacity of the DC lines to 3,000 megawatts in the future depending on market demand.
Joe Tippets, a TransWest attorney, told lawmakers the transmission lines were much like the Union Pacific Railroad of old, in that future economic benefits should develop out of the new transmission assets once they are in place.
He said, for example, that other energy producers could directly connect with TransWest’s AC line.
“It’s a multi-billion dollar investment of infrastructure in Utah with a terminal in Delta. That’s going to generate a lot of future growth,” the attorney predicted.
One committee member asked if the related wind farms in Wyoming were capable of generating much electricity. Choquette said they planned to generate some 3,500 megawatts. She added that the northern terminal in Wyoming would be connected to the local grid and nearby power grids there, so not all of that power would be sent south.
A few committee members questioned the benefit to Utah electricity consumers from the project, since it was clear the price of the electricity would be pegged to California market rates, which are traditionally much higher than Utah rates.
Committee member Rep. Carl Albrecht, Republican representing Utah House District 70, said outside of property taxes and temporary construction employment, he saw little benefit to the state.
Tippets said the benefit was in the mere existence of the line and what it means for electric reliability and future economic development.
Sen. Evan J. Vickers, a Republican whose district represents the western half of Millard County, asked about other energy producers tying into TransWest’s lines.
Tippets said that was envisioned and the company was planning an open application process at some point in the future.
TransWest is funded through private capital.
The project is privately owned by Denver-based Anschutz Corporation, whose namesake, billionaire Philip Anschutz, is number 45 on Forbes Magazine’s list of the 400 richest people in the United States.
Forbes noted in its latest list that Anschutz built his fortune in oil and real estate, among other endeavors, and was building one of the world’s largest wind farms on 320,000 acres he owns in Wyoming.
