Segment B - Populus to Terminal

Project Overview 

Providing safe, reliable electrical service at reasonable rates is our commitment to customers.

Energy use is on the rise and demand is fast approaching the limits of the existing electrical system. This growth comes from both new and existing customers. Individually, consumers today are using 26 percent more electricity than they did 20 years ago. To meet this increasing demand, new facilities are needed. Nowhere is this more true than in communities to be served by the Populus to Terminal transmission line in Utah and Idaho. Construction is now underway on this project - part of PacifiCorp's Energy Gateway Transmission Expansion Project to meet local and regional electricity needs.

Extending from southeast Idaho into northern Utah, the Populus to Terminal transmission line consists of two sub-projects. The Populus to Ben Lomond  section will add a new double-circuit, 345-kilovolt transmission line stretching approximately 90 miles from the Populus Substation to be built near Downey, Idaho, to the existing Ben Lomond Substation in Box Elder County, Utah. The Ben Lomond to Terminal section will add a new double-circuit, 345-kilovolt transmission line alongside existing high-voltage lines from the Ben Lomond Substation to the Terminal substation near the Salt Lake City airport – a distance of approximately 46 miles. 

Project Timeline 

• Informational meetings – October 2007-October 2008
• Permitting and obtaining rights of way – December 2007-April 2009
• Construction – February 2009–December 2010
• Estimated line in service for customers – December 2010
   

Additional Information About the Project 

The construction contract for this project was signed in Autumn 2008, and construction began in February 2009 on various sections of the line.

We have worked carefully to minimize impacts to the community and the environment in all project phases including planning and design. This will continue to be our priority during construction and in maintenance.

Check this Web site periodically for updated information, including the current Populus to Terminal map (PDF), and photos (image 1, image 2) as construction continues.

Public Participation

Public input is an important part of the transmission line development process. Our company has gathered input during public open houses, held in 2007 and 2008. In addition to public, group and individual meetings, project materials and newsletters also have been sent to landowners and other interested parties.

To contact us about this project, please call 801-220-4221, or e-mail ConstructionProjects@pacificorp.com. Please be sure to include the project name - "Populus to Terminal project" - in your inquiry.

(Updated June 9, 2010)