If everything goes according to plan, construction on the $3 billion TransWest Express Transmission Project will soon begin with the end goal of sending Wyoming wind power to  cities in the Southwest.

Posted by Staff

TrasWest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anschultz Corp., plans to run 725 miles of high-voltage line from south-central Wyoming through Colorado and Utah into southern Nevada.

After its completion in 2015, the new farm looks to supply such cities as Las Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Phoenix with 3,000 megawatts of energy. The projected wind energy output represents a significant boost in total wind energy generated in the U.S.—the largest currently operating wind farm produces a mere 781.5 megawatts.

Last month, the Bureau of Land Management and Western Area Power Administrations began drafting environmental impact statement for the TransWest Project. The agency review is the last anticipated legal hurdle before the company begins initial construction scheduled for 2013. Given the US Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) recent support for wind energy, the administrative impact statement is not expected to create any obstacles to TransWest’s current timetable.