The Clean Line project will tap into abundant, low-cost wind generation resources in the Oklahoma and Texas panhandle regions in order to deliver up to 4,000 MW of wind power via a 705-mile direct current transmission line. This will in turn provide enough energy to power more than 1.5 million homes in the mid-South and Southeastern United States.
The project marks the first use of Congressional authority conferred to DOE as part of Section 1222 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, aimed at promoting transmission development. Congress passed the law when it was becoming clear that the country’s transmission infrastructure needed modernisation, recognising the need for a modern and resilient grid that could accommodate increasing demands for power. It is specifically intended to address infrastructure challenges outlined in the 2015 Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), which focused on Energy Transmission, Storage and Distribution Infrastructure and acknowledged the importance of establishing transmission lines to facilitate remote generation development of renewable energy.
“Moving remote and plentiful power to areas where electricity is in high demand is essential for building the grid of the future” said Secretary Moniz. “Building modern transmission that delivers renewable energy to more homes and businesses will create jobs, cut carbon emissions, and enhance the reliability of our grid.”
Long distance transmission capacity projects such as Clean Line have the potential to enable lower-carbon electricity, enhancing system reliability while operating at reasonable cost to consumers. The project is expected to create supply chain jobs in Arkansas and Oklahoma to build the new infrastructure for both states. Clean Line has announced a $300 million agreement with Pelco, an Oklahoma company, to build the project’s tubular steel transmission structures. It has also identified three Arkansas companies to build infrastructure that supports the project, such as transmission conductors and glass insulators.
Project viability will need to be demonstrated before obtaining land for the project from landowners. This means Clean Line will need to execute significant firm transmission service agreements and complete key technical studies required by the Southwest Power Pool, Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Tennessee Valley Authority.
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