PacifiCorp Awards Construction Contract for New Populus to Terminal Transmission Project
January 16, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY – (Oct. 30, 2008) PacifiCorp today announced it has awarded a contract to build its Populus to Terminal 345-kilovolt transmission project.
The contract has been awarded to Populus-Terminal Transmission Partners, A.J.V., which is a partnership of Black & Veatch Construction Inc., Henkels & McCoy, Inc. and Kiewit Western Co. The joint venture will provide engineering, procurement and construction services for this major transmission project, planned and permitted to deliver additional power into the region to meet the growing electrical needs of customers served by PacifiCorp's retail operating companies, Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power.
"We are pleased to announce this important step in the project," said Greg Abel, chief executive officer of PacifiCorp. "With electrical demand increasing each year, together with increasing reliability requirements, these new facilities are critical to providing reliable and economic service to Rocky Mountain Power's and Pacific Power's growing customer base. This project represents our commitment to investing in energy infrastructure that will benefit customers today and into the future."
Originally announced in 2007 as part of the $6 billion Energy Gateway Transmission Expansion project, the Populus to Terminal segment consists of a new 345-kilovolt substation to be built near Downey, Idaho, and a 135-mile, double-circuit 345-kilovolt transmission line between the new substation and the existing Terminalsubstation near the Salt Lake City International Airport. The project will be built in several segments, beginning concurrently on the south and north ends of the project route.
"PacifiCorp is undertaking this project as part of our overall commitment toward meeting the long-term needs of our customers, while improving the transmission infrastructure of the Western United States," said John Cupparo, PacifiCorp vice president, transmission. "The Energy Gateway transmission investment has been validated in regional studies as critical to access remote generation, increase reliabilityand serve growing demand for energy. This segment from Populus to Terminal represents a major step in delivering the Energy Gateway plan."
Populus-Terminal Transmission Partners, A.J.V. will be headquartered near Ogden, Utah. Preliminary site preparation work and material orders will begin this fall. Construction work will commence in early 2009, starting with the Ben Lomond toTerminal line segment from the southern Box Elder County line into Weber and Daviscounties and ultimately Salt Lake County. On the north end, work will begin on the Idaho section of line and construction of the Populus substation. Property owners will be contacted by the contractor before any construction activities begin. Estimated completion is by year-end 2010.
"With many existing transmission facilities at, or projected to reach, full capacity by 2010, along with the need to integrate new generating facilities including renewable energy resources, significant new transmission transfer capability is critical," said Richard Walje, president of Rocky Mountain Power. "This new segment will provide the means to reliably serve customers by moving larger electrical supplies throughout the Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power systems."
Walje credited local and state officials in Utah and Idaho for their thorough public consideration of the siting permits that allow construction to go forward.
"Transmission infrastructure is an essential link in connecting high-demand areas to current and future generating resources," said Dean Oskvig, president and chief executive officer of Black & Veatch's global energy business. "New transmission projects and updating existing infrastructure ensure continued reliability of our nation's electric delivery."
Public input is an important part of the Energy Gateway expansion process, and those with questions or information requests can call 801-220-4221, or
e-mail ConstructionProjects@pacificorp.com.
About Energy Gateway
In May 2007, PacifiCorp launched Energy Gateway, an ambitious transmission expansion program that will add more than 1,900 miles of new transmission lines across the West. Sitingand permitting processes now are underway for many segments of the planned expansion, and major segments of the estimated $6 billion project are scheduled to come on-line by 2014. More information can be found at www.pacificorp.com/energygateway.
About PacifiCorp
PacifiCorp operates as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho and as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California. PacifiCorp is one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing approximately 1.7 million customers in the West with reliable,efficient energy. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting andenhancing the environment. PacifiCorp has a total generating capability of 9,140 megawatts fromcoal, hydro, gas-fired combustion turbines and renewable wind and geothermal power.
About Black & Veatch ( www.bv.com)
Black& Veatch is a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company specializingin infrastructure development in energy, water, telecommunications, management consulting, federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch develops tailored infrastructure solutions that meet clients' needs and provide sustainable benefits. Solutions are provided from the broad line of service expertise available within Black & Veatch, including conceptual and preliminary engineering services, engineering design, procurement, construction,financial management, asset management, program management, construction management, environmental, security design and consulting, management consulting and infrastructureplanning. With $3.2 billion in revenue, the employee-owned company has more than 100 offices worldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries on six continents.
About Henkels & McCoy, Inc.
Henkels & McCoy is one of the largest privately held engineering, network development and construction firms serving the communications, information technology and utility industries in theUnited States. It has more than 80 permanent offices and operation facilities strategically located across the nation.
About Kiewit Western Co. ( www.Kiewit.com)
Kiewit Western Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, one of North America's largest and most respected construction and engineering organizations and the successor to a construction business founded in 1884. Headquartered in Omaha, Neb., the employee-owned company operates through a network of offices in the United States and Canada. Kiewit offers construction and engineering services in a variety of sectors including transportation, buildings,water and power, underground facilities, telecommunications, industrial, oil and gas facilities, mining and offshore facilities. Kiewit's workforce includes approximately 6,000 salaried and hourly staff along with more than 16,000 craft workers.
