RAWLINS, Wyo. — Construction began today on the TransWest Express Project high voltage line with a formal ground-breaking ceremony in Carbon County.
Touted as the largest onshore wind generation project in North America, the new transmission line will carry wind-generated energy 732 miles, from the 600-turbine Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind farm in south-central Wyoming through Colorado, Utah and Nevada. The line is expected to provide 3,000 megawatts of new transmission capacity, and its construction is on track to create an estimated 1,000 jobs.
“The TransWest Express Project will accelerate our nation’s transition to a clean energy economy by unlocking renewable resources, creating jobs, lowering costs and boosting local economies,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a press release.
The Bureau of Land Management approved plans for the project in April, with construction expected to continue through 2027. According to the Associated Press, the wind farms are expected to prevent the emission of several million tons of carbon dioxide per year, generating enough electricity to power one million homes.
Wyoming’s transition from coal to clean energy has not been met with universal support, with the main concern being the turbine and power lines’ impact on wildlife. On the ground level, these large structures might pose a challenge for big game habitat and migration, as well as the species of concern the greater sage-grouse. Other birds and bats will be vulnerable to collisions with the turbines.
