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Keep up to date with the Southwest Climate Change Network news feeds. Drawing on a selection of high-quality credible sources, the feeds provide quick access to new and recent stories on climate change and energy in the Southwest, cutting-edge climate change research, and climate change solutions involving policy, new technology, and the private sector.

DOE Loan Will Build New Transmission Line

Date Posted: 
October 27, 2010
Publisher: 
DOE and Las Vegas Sun

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will provide a $350 million loan guarantee to partially finance the construction of the One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line). ON Line will be a 235-mile long, 500 kV AC transmission line running from the Harry Allen power substation north of Las Vegas to a station that will be built in Ely, Nevada. The line will link new renewable energy developments in rural areas of Nevada to the grid, and transmit 600 MW of energy. Ground-breaking on the line will begin in December, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The construction and operation of ON Line is expected to bring thousands of jobs to Nevada, where unemployment currently hovers at 14.4%, well above the 9.6% average for the entire U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Transmission lines are one of the last remaining obstacles in the development of renewable energy sources, since wind and solar energy are often produced in remote regions without access to major transmission lines. ON Line is the first part of the Southwest Intertie Project. When completed, this project will link solar and wind power generated in Nevada, Wyoming, and Idaho with energy markets in the Southwest.

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