The long-proposed Ten West Link transmission line is becoming a reality. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, January 19, at the Delaney Substation near Tonopah, Arizona. Among those in attendance were Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, and Ten West Link owner Lotus Infrastructure.・Partners CEO Himanshu Saxena was included.

When completed, the line will run from Tonopah to a point west of Bryce, California. The line is being built to provide more reliable power to California and is being built to accommodate additional power plants to meet growing demand in Arizona and California. These plants are expected to use renewable energy sources.

La Paz County has used the intra-county Ten West Link connection to attract solar development along its route. They received a land transfer from the Department of Land Management for solar power development and economic development.

Representing La Paz County at the groundbreaking ceremony were county superintendents Holly Irwin and David Plunkett, and county administrator Megan Spielman. Former supervisor DL ​​Wilson also participated. The current oversight board recognizes Wilson as instrumental in acquiring his land deed from BLM.

Other members of La Paz County who attended the event included Arizona Peace Trail representatives, JC Sanders, Bruce & Bonnie Fulmer, and Lowell Sorenson.

As reported in a media article, Vice President Harris said, “America is at the beginning of a historic transition away from fossil fuel factories that pollute our communities and toward cleaner and safer energy sources. “Creating this clean energy future will require building thousands of miles of new high-voltage power lines across the country. Jobs for the IBEW linemen who build and repair these lines Jobs for young people looking to start careers in the clean energy and clean energy economy fields Jobs for our country to finally make the climate crisis a reality A job that helps to take on as a crisis of

“It was a great event,” Irwin told Pioneer. “It’s great for Arizona, for solar projects, for economic development.”

Irwin added that you can see the tower under construction from Interstate 10 as you drive toward Tonopah.

Irwin said she was upset that Biden administration officials would take credit for the remarks. Stated.

Spielman said he was excited to see the project in development.

“It is exciting and honored to be welcomed by our friends at DCRT and Himanshu Saxena, Chairman and CEO of Lotus Infrastructure Partners, developer and owner of Ten West Link.

“The Cielo Azul Switchyard and the solar projects that will be developed on county land as a result of Ten West Link will be very important to our community as we see an expanded tax base, rental income and employment opportunities. It’s beneficial,” Spielman continued. “It was a proud and exciting moment to have presentations and comments by U.S. Vice President Harris, Secretary of the Interior Harland and Secretary of Energy Granholm, highlighting the importance of this project to our region.”

“Today’s announcement is just one of the many ways Arizona is leading the way toward a renewable energy future,” said Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly in a press release. “We welcome the government’s partnership in this important project. I will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to create high-income jobs in Arizona, reduce energy costs, and meet the state’s growing energy needs. We will continue to invest in renewable energy.”

Kelly is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The Ten West Link transmission line has been viewed as essential to facilitating the development of renewable resources and making the Arizona and California power grids stronger and more reliable.

The 500 kv transmission line is being constructed by DCR Transmission LLC, a joint project between Abengoa Transmission & Infrastructure, LLC and Starwood Energy Group Global, Inc. Starwood is owned by Lotus. It consists of lines and transmission towers approximately 100 to 195 feet high. The line will run through La Paz County, approximately 125 miles from the Delaney Substation near Tonopah, Arizona, to Bryce, California. The name comes from a route south of his Quartzsite that follows Interstate 10 to Tonopah. The estimated cost is $300 million.

The Bureau of Land Management signed the Record of Decision approving the 10 West Link Transmission Line Project on November 22, 2019. It has been identified as a priority under Federal Title 41. Amend America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.

La Paz County initially voiced its opposition to the line, not wanting it to pass through densely populated areas and fearing it would negatively affect tourism and not bring positive economic results. I was. The line developer worked with the county to meet the county’s routing needs and to ensure that the county was included in any economic development related to the line.

Wilson led an initiative by BLM to grant land to counties for solar development. He went to Washington and testified overland before Congress. This finally happened on May 22, 2020, when then-U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt signed a document granting the county land along Interstate 10 in eastern La Paz County.

Bernhardt credits the passing of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Recreation and Management Act with completing the land transfer. The bill included legislation by two of his members of the Arizona legislative delegation, then-U.S. Senator Martha McSally and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar, authorizing ground transportation. Signed by President Donald Trump on March 12, 2019.

In March 2020, La Paz County signed a contract with Korean company 174 Power Global to build a solar energy facility on 4,000 acres. At 850 megawatts, it will be the largest solar power project in the country. An estimated 800 to 1,000 construction jobs will be created and the facility will produce enough electricity for his 300,000 homes.