Great Basin
Transmission Announces Open Season for the
Southwest Intertie Project
ST.
LOUIS, MISSOURI (November 6, 2008)
– Great Basin Transmission, LLC ("GBT")
announces today an Open Season to receive proposals for the
purchase of long-term point-to-point transmission rights on
the Southwest Intertie Project ("SWIP"). Successful bidders
in the Open Season will secure firm transmission rights to
support financing of new generation resources and to allow
existing generation resources to transport their output to
attractive liquid markets in the West.
The SWIP is a
proposed above-ground 500 kilovolt ("kV") alternating
current ("AC") transmission line stretching over 500 miles
between southern Idaho and southern Nevada. As much as 1,850
megawatts ("MW") of north-to-south transmission capacity and
1,850 MW of south-to-north transmission capacity will be
available for purchase during the Open Season.
The SWIP will
provide a new energy pathway connecting the existing high
voltage transmission infrastructure near Twin Falls, Idaho
and the existing systems in northern Nevada and the Las
Vegas area. It will provide direct interconnection and/or
viable access to multiple transmission providers in the West
which may include Arizona Public Service, Idaho Power, Los
Angeles Dept. of Water and Power, Nevada Power (NV Energy),
PacifiCorp, Salt River Project, Sierra Pacific Power (NV
Energy), Southern California Edison, and Western Area Power
Administration.
The SWIP is
being developed in phases and is well advanced such that the
first phase connecting southern Nevada with northern Nevada
is expected to begin construction in 2009 and achieve
commercial operation as early as 2010. The next phase
reaching to southern Idaho is expected to achieve commercial
operation as early as 2011.
GBT is
developing the SWIP in response to the growing needs of the
Desert Southwest and the Northwest. The SWIP will provide
economic, environmental and reliability benefits for the
West. The SWIP will also provide an important pathway for
renewable energy resources to reach major load centers.
GBT will
conduct the Open Season in a transparent and
nondiscriminatory manner. Entities wishing to secure
long-term point-to-point transmission rights on the SWIP may
submit proposals for consideration. To ensure a fair and
open process, generation affiliates of GBT will not submit
proposals in the Open Season. GBT will hold a conference for
potential bidders in Las Vegas on November 18, 2008, to
provide a description of the SWIP and key information about
the Open Season process. GBT staff will be available at the
conference to answer questions and receive feedback from
potential bidders. The specific time and location details
for the conference will be posted on the SWIP Open Season
website.
For
more details regarding the SWIP and the Open Season please
visit the dedicated website at:
http://www.SWIPOS.com.
Any party interested in participating in the Open Season is
encouraged to register at the website to ensure they receive
all communications related to the Open Season. Questions may
be submitted via e-mail at
SWIP@SWIPOS.com.
GBT is
a single purpose company formed to develop, finance,
construct, own, and operate the SWIP. GBT is owned by DLS
Power Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between LS Power and
Dynegy. For more information on LS Power and Dynegy please
visit
http://www.lspower.com
and
http://www.dynegy.com.
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Some
information in this news release may be forward-looking.
Implicit in that information are assumptions and
expectations which, although considered reasonable by us,
may prove to be incorrect. Actual future outcomes and
results are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties,
and could differ materially from what is currently proposed
or planned as described herein. You should not place undue
importance on forward-looking information. While we may
elect to, we are under no obligation and do not undertake to
update this information at any particular time. |