Critical grid infrastructure to connect the West

The TransWest Express Transmission Project is a high-voltage interregional electric transmission system developed by TransWest Express LLC. The TWE Project is critical new infrastructure that will deliver electricity generated by renewable resources and will strengthen the power grid that serves the Western United States. For example, the TWE Project can reliably deliver cost-effective renewable wind energy produced in Wyoming to the Desert Southwest region (California, Nevada, Arizona), providing much-needed zero-carbon electricity to millions of homes and businesses every year. Wyoming’s high-capacity wind energy resources complement the Desert Southwest's renewables, offering geographic diversity to help this region not only save money but also achieve GHG emissions reduction goals.

The dotted line indicates the approximate route of this transmission line project, from the Marketplace Hub in Nevada to south-central Wyoming, with a terminal near Delta, Utah. The TWE Project aligns with regional transmission development objectives set forth in an April 2005 Memorandum of Understanding signed by the governors of Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California.

By the numbers

732 miles of high-voltage transmission infrastructure consisting of two systems: a 3,000 MW direct current (DC) segment with terminals near Sinclair, Wyo., and Delta, Utah; and a 1,500 MW alternating current (AC) segment from the Utah terminal to southern Nevada.
$3 billion estimated cost
DC system terminals to be phased over time from 1,500 MW to 3,000 MW of transmission capacity

Project updates

Dec. 22, 2022: California ISO approves TWE Project participation application
Dec. 5, 2022: TransWest Express selects Siemens Energy as HVDC technology partner

EIS websites

BLM and WAPA are joint lead agencies that prepared an Environmental Impact Statement for the TWE Project. USFS was a cooperating agency. Each federal agency has an EIS-related site:

BLM
WAPA

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Federal focus

Federal "Rapid Response Team for Transmission" selects TWE Project
• See Permitting Dashboard page

In the news

"We need to get aggressive on building the electron superhighway. If we are not able to move forward with availability of transmission, we can study the potential of solar and wind and geothermal until the cows come home and it's not going to get done."

- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, March 2009, in response to questions at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources