SALOME, Ariz.—A power line in a remote corner of the southwest desert may seem like an unusual attraction to national leaders, but a new high-voltage transmission line will strengthen the power grids in Arizona and California. Completion of the electric line attracted the attention of both commissioners. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stonemanning attended a celebration in western Arizona on Thursday.
However, the United States relies on expanding the national power grid to transition from fossil fuel electricity to renewable energy sources, and the installation of new transmission lines is often stalled by a wide range of landowners and stakeholders. infrastructure is seen as a major step in combating climate change, with each new power line having to pass through.
New rules to speed up power transmission projects, announced by the Biden administration on the same day as Arizona's power line opening ceremony, underscore the urgency for any new power distribution projects.
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In just over a year, construction crews and electricians built the 125-mile Ten West Link power line from near Tonopah, Arizona, to near Bryce, California. Supporters argue that the line will help increase the number of renewable energy projects in the region by providing an efficient way to provide power to local communities.
“These are technically complex projects and it's important to get it right,” said Himanshu Saxena, CEO of Lotus Infrastructure Partners. “These assets will continue to be here for over 100 years, even after I'm gone. These assets will continue to be here and serve the needs of the country and the needs of the community. Sho.”
Attendees boarded shuttle buses to the ceremony, which was held next to power lines. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a sign displaying the names of her partners: Ten West Link, La Paz County, and Lotus Infrastructure.
Stonemanning said developments like Ten West Link are consistent with the Biden administration's commitment to transitioning the country to clean energy sources.
“The Ten West Link route traverses an area with the highest potential for clean energy development in the country,” she said.
After breaking ground on January 19, 2023, the project cost 850,000 man-hours and was completed in less than 14 months, according to James Wynn of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 47.
However, the speed of construction does not reflect the arduous and time-consuming process of route planning. La Paz County Board of Supervisors Director Holly Irwin said Ten West Link was 10 years in the making and a collaboration between multiple agencies within the federal, state and tribal governments. Once construction began, it created jobs and brought in income to businesses in the county, she said.
From the gala venue, attendees will look out over Interstate 10 and the construction site of the nearby Cielo Azul rail yard, which will help connect the planned Atlas Solar Project to the Ten West Link. I was able to do that.
“The work here will support the development of future solar energy resources and increase the reliability of large-scale power systems for millions of people in central Arizona and Southern California, while lowering energy costs for consumers.” “in the face of extreme weather and creating high-paying union jobs,'' Haaland said.
When completed, Cielo Azul will connect about 3,000 megawatts of renewable energy to the grid, said Lotus Infrastructure Partners' Saxena.
“There's a big movement in the market where people want more reliable power,” he said. “They want low-cost power. And what I want to say to our team is that there can be no energy transition without new transmission.”
Irwin said Atlas Solar will be built on land transferred from the BLM to the county for solar development. The project includes 1,050 megawatts of battery storage to provide power when solar panels are unable to generate electricity due to lack of sunlight.
New federal rules announced by the Biden administration on April 25 will speed up the review and permitting of eligible transmission projects.
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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm: “We are committed to the American people's historic overhaul of the permitting process to reduce the time it takes to build new power lines, put more Americans to work, and meet current and future energy needs.'' We are acting with the urgency that we deserve to make it happen,” it said in a news release.
The department also announced up to $331 million to support construction of a new transmission line from Idaho to Nevada. Funding would come from bipartisan infrastructure legislation.
“By improving the federal transmission permitting process and investing in transmission enhancements and grid upgrades, the Biden-Harris administration will deliver clean, reliable power to Americans when and where they need it. “We are deploying a multi-pronged approach to ensure access to affordable electricity,” Granholm said.
noel lynn smith
Roy W. Howard, Outrider Foundation Fellow
Noel Lynn Smith is a Diné (Navajo) reporter. Her maternal clan is her Honágháahnii (Circle) and her paternal clan is her Hashtł'ishnii (Mud Clan). Her reporting focuses on all aspects of the Navajo Nation. Her favorite topics include tribal government and the environment. She reported on coal mining, including the Gold King Mine spill, water issues, threats to sacred sites, and the purchase of the mine by the Navajo Nation. She looks forward to expanding understanding of Indigenous communities while working at Inside Climate News as part of a one-year fellowship funded by the Outrider Foundation and the Scripps Howard Foundation. Noel was a staff reporter for the Farmington Daily Times in northwestern New Mexico and the Navajo Times in Window Rock, Arizona. Her work has also been published in her ICT, formerly her Indian Country Today. She took a break from her career to earn a master's degree in investigative reporting from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Noelle is the first award recipient to complete her master's degree program at Cronkite, a partnership between the Cronkite School, the Indigenous Journalists Association, and ICT. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University. This story was produced with support from the Outrider Foundation.
