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 assess 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 be on-line in the 2008-2009 time frame.