After more than a year of meetings with landowners, public officials and other key stakeholders, Nebraska Public Power District has identified final routes for three separate 115,000-volt transmission line segments that will be needed to serve pumping stations associated with the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project.
The transmission line projects include a new 9-mile line segment near the Clarks/Central City areas, a 37-mile line segment near the Ericson/Petersburg areas and a 28-mile line segment in the O’Neill/Stuart areas. The transmission lines and associated substation facilities are being planned to serve NPPD wholesale customer utilities in the respective areas who will, in turn, serve the pumping stations as part of the proposed pipeline. NPPD is pursuing the line routing and siting process in accordance with Nebraska state statutes and regulations. The approximately 74 miles of new transmission lines and associated substation facilities are estimated to cost $49 million and will be paid for by TransCanada.
“This is a milestone step in NPPD’s public involvement and line routing process, but we are a long ways from having any poles in the ground,” said NPPD Transmission and Distribution Manager Tom Kent. “Construction of this line will only occur if NPPD knows for certain that it will be needed by TransCanada.”
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