More on transmission and the SPP provisional approval of the Wichita-Spearville 765 kV line for further study
October 28, 2009
Sick of transmission yet? Tough!
Yesterday the SPP Board announced that it approved the Priority Projects package – including the proposed 765kV Wichita to Spearville line – for further study and a possible January vote for final approval. This line means an enormous deal to Kansas, as you can tell from this statement from CEP’s Nancy Jackson.
Another factor that perhaps a lot of people don’t recognize – I think Kansas is one of only two states in the SPP footprint that has a mandatory Renewable Energy Standard (the other is Missouri. The Kansas RES requirements are higher, with penalties for noncompliance). If you ain’t got the transmission, you cain’t meet the standard. Pretty simple.
A sampling of KS media coverage on the SPP decision today – nice cross-section, the reporters did a great job among them considering all the angles:
Hutch News, John Green – Kan. transmission project re-energized
Kansas City Star, Steve Everly – Kansas power line is a priority again
Topeka Cap-Journal/ AP – Transmission line project back
Wichita Eagle, Dan Voorhis – Board: Wind power line deserves more study
Some background on the Priority Projects and the Integrated Transmission Plan from the CEP blog:
Potential bummer on the Priority Projects
SPP Priority Projects, Integrated Planning Process, and Cost Allocation
Other regional/ interconnection-wide transmission planning processes
Also, a reminder – the Priority Projects got a lot of press yesterday, but the SPP also made major steps on the Integrated Transmission Plan and cost allocation. More on that later.
— posted by Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
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