The partners in the Wyoming Colorado-Intertie Transmission Project (WCI) are pleased with the results of the Open Season (8/26/2008)

You may view the Press Release announcing the results of the Open Season here.

Open Season process on the Wyoming Colorado-Intertie Transmission Project (WCI) has been initiated (3/31/2008)

The Open Season process for the WCI Project has commenced effective March 31, 2008. We are proud to announce that capacity on the proposed WCI transmission line is becoming available via a non-discriminatory bidding process. The Press Release relative to this event together with comments from the Governor’s of Wyoming and Colorado may be viewed here. A Timeline for the key phases of the Open Season Process is available here. In order to register and participate in such process, go to: www.WCIntertie.com which will become operational at 5:00 p.m., Mountain Time, today.

Open Season on WCI scheduled mid-summer 2008 (2/11/2008)

The Wyoming Infrastructure Authority and its development partners, TransElect and Western Area Power Administration are pleased to confirm the intent to hold an Open Season for 900 MW’s of transmission capacity from Wyoming to the Pawnee interconnect on PSCo’s system in Colorado. Additional information is available here.

Wyoming Public covers Wind Conference in Douglas (1/08/2008)

The Wyoming Public Radio recently ran a story consisting of some of the topics presented at the Roping the Wind Conference held in Douglas, WY. The 5 minute story can be listened to here.

Phase 2 Status

We are pleased to announce that the Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Project has achieved Phase 2 Status in the WECC Planning Process. The notification letter may be viewed here.

Planning Report Presentation (6/11/2007)

A presentation of the Siemens/PTI Report for the Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Project was made in Denver, CO on June 11, 2007. The presentation is available here.

Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Planning Study Report Available(6/04/2007)

Initial planning studies have been completed for the Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Project (formerly known as the TOT 3 Project). The studies, conducted by Siemens/PTI, considered a number of different configurations for the Project and indicate that the Project can reliably transfer 800 to 900 MW from Wyoming to Colorado across the TOT3 bottleneck. The study report is available here.

TOT 3 Partnership to Proceed with Feasibility Studies for Eventual Open Season

In the Fall of 2005, a public/private partnership consisting of Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA), Trans-Elect, and Western Area Power Administration (Western) was formed to consider the expansion of transmission capacity across the TOT 3 interface located along the Wyoming-Colorado border.  On behalf of the partnership, in November of 2005, Western posted a solicitation of interest in the Federal Register to gain a measure of interest in the project.  On the basis of the robust response to the Western posting and PSCO’s recent filing with the Colorado PUC, the parties are sufficiently encouraged to proceed with studies that would culminate in an “Open Season” for transmission capacity in mid-2007.

A series of technical and economic studies are planned for the next 8-10 months to design the system, determine costs, identify potential corridors and configurations, and the assessment of the marketplace.  These studies will take advantage of input from industry stakeholders, as well as other studies that have been or are being conducted within the TOT 3 area, including the Colorado Long-Range Transmission Plan developed under the auspices of the Colorado Coordinated Planning Group.

If these studies continue to show merit for expanding TOT 3, then different routes will be studied to identify optimum corridors for constructing the line(s) with costs estimated upon which to base an Open Season.  This process involves defining the cost and business structure for a TOT 3 expansion for a FERC-monitored non-discriminatory competitive auction of transmission capacity.  The results of the Open Season process will determine whether the project proceeds and, if so, the timing and sequence of activities that will be undertaken.  Present indications suggest phased development to tap wind generation that would on-line in the 2008-2009 time frame, followed by an extension of the transmission line(s) to tap coal generation that would come on-line in the 2011-2012 time frame.

TOT 3 Expansion Project Receives Positive Response to Western's Solicitation of Interest

Trans-Elect and the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) are very pleased with the response to Western Area Power Administration's (Western's) recently-completed solicitation of interest for expanding the transmission capacity between Wyoming and Colorado on the TOT 3 path.   

Seventeen respondents provided input to Western in response to its November 15, 2005 Federal Register posting  to expand the transmission capacity of TOT 3 from its current limit of about 1,600 MW.  Respondents included potential utility customers along the Colorado Front Range, power marketers, and existing and proposed power plants in Wyoming (both clean-coal and wind). 

Collectively, the responses indicate a demand for between 2,100 MW and 7,300 MW of additional capacity, ranging from nearly equal proportions of coal and wind power at the low end of the range, to a  35:65 coal/wind ratio at high end of the range. 

On the basis of this positive response, Trans-Elect will be holding individual meetings with each respondent as well as other parties who have expressed interest, in order to confirm their requirements, address commercial issues, and to solicit their input on the design of the TOT 3 expansion project.  These meetings will be subject to a confidentiality agreement between Trans-Elect and WIA, and each party.  The input received from these meetings will dictate the next steps for the TOT 3 partnership, which are expected to include a series of design and feasibility studies, potentially culminating in an Open Season process in which parties will need to commit to reserving transmission capacity.

TOT3 Partnership with Trans-Elect and Western

The WIA has entered into a partnership with Trans-Elect, Inc. to pursue development of new electric transmission between Colorado and Wyoming known as TOT 3. The Western Area Power Administration (Western) has joined the WIA and Trans-Elect in signing a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly work together on the TOT 3 project to determine the public service benefits and interest in this transmission upgrade.  A transmission investment across TOT 3 will facilitate the development of low-cost, clean-coal generating plants and high-efficiency wind turbines in both Colorado and Wyoming.  The initial priority for the TOT 3 Partnership is to involve all developers and utilities with an interest in the corridor in northeastern Colorado and eastern Wyoming.

Trans-Elect and the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) are very pleased with the response to Western Area Power Administration's (Western's) recently-completed solicitation of interest for expanding the transmission capacity between Wyoming and Colorado on the TOT 3 path.   Seventeen respondents provided input to Western in response to its November 15, 2005 Federal Register posting  to expand the transmission capacity of TOT 3 from its current limit of about 1,600 MW.  Respondents included potential utility customers along the Colorado Front Range, power marketers, and existing and proposed power plants in Wyoming (both clean-coal and wind). 

Collectively, the responses indicate a demand for between  2,100 MW and 7,300 MW of additional capacity, ranging from nearly equal proportions of coal and wind power at the low end of the range, to a  35:65 coal/wind ratio at high end of the range.  On the basis of this positive response, Trans-Elect will be holding individual meetings with each respondent as well as other parties who have expressed interest, in order to confirm their requirements, address commercial issues, and to solicit their input on the design of the TOT 3 expansion project.  These meetings will be subject to a confidentiality agreement between Trans-Elect and WIA, and each party .  The input received from these meetings will dictate the next steps for the TOT 3 partnership, which are expected to include a series of design and feasibility studies, potentially culminating in an Open Season process in which parties will need to commit to reserving transmission capacity.