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wiredInUSA - October 2013
18
Kansas
Transmission
line
approval
Westar Energy and ITC Great
Plains, a transmission utility, have
won approval from the Kansas
Corporation Commission to build
a 345kV transmission line between
Saline and Cloud counties.
At an estimated cost of nearly
$113 million, the 60 mile stretch will
connect Westar's Summit substation
(about five miles northeast of
Assaria) to ITC's ElmCreek substation
(four miles northwest of Aurora).
Westar's share of the cost is around
$66 million, with ITC picking up the
balance.
The line is planned to "improve
electric reliability and efficiency
in central Kansas, and ensure
electricity is available to support
economic growth in the area."
Construction is expected to begin
in mid-2014, and the targeted
completion for the line will be late
2016, according to the Westar
release.
The project costs will be absorbed
over 40 years from customers in
the Southwest Power Pool region,
which includes Kansas, Oklahoma,
and parts of Nebraska, Texas, New
Mexico, Arkansas and Missouri.
Initially, Westar's portion of the
project will cost Southwest Power
Pool customers 65 cents a year, and
45 cents a year from ITC, according
to spokesman Joe Kirik. That
amount will depreciate by roughly
2.5 percent a year, added Gina
Penzig, the Westar spokeswoman.