PORTLAND, Ore.-Public meetings are scheduled for a new proposed Bonneville Power Administration transmission line south of the Tri-Cities.
The meetings are scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 and Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Cottonwood Elementary School located at 16734 Cottonwood Creek Blvd., in Kennewick.
“This is a chance for residents to provide us information about the area we’re considering for the proposed project,” said Jeff Cook, BPA’s vice president of Transmission Planning and Asset Management.
BPA project staff will be available at the meetings to answer any questions or concerns about the project from residents.
According to a BPA press release on the proposed project, the 18-mile long transmission line would connect a proposed new Webber Canyon Substation near County Well Road to BPA’s existing Badger Canyon Substation off Leslie Road between Richland and Kennewick.
The continued growth of the Tri-Cities region means an increase in the use of electricity according to the BPA.
“The BPA transmission system is becoming more and more constrained in the Tri-Cities area,” said Cook. “Keeping electricity flowing into the area during extreme hot and cold snaps is becoming increasingly difficult.”
The proposed transmission line south of the Tri-Cities is part of the Tri-Cities Reinforcement Program, which consists of four BPA projects to increase capacity and infrastructure.
