Western governors gather to tout Frontier transmission line

Western governors gather to tout Frontier transmission line

San Francisco (Platts)--17Apr2006

Four governors from Western states are expected to unveil Monday efforts
to develop a feasibility analysis and conceptual plan to advance the ambitious
Frontier transmission line, which is designed to transmit power from clean
coal and renewable energy projects.

The governors of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming will highlight
participation of several utilities in the region and release "a landmark
agreement between our states and a broad regional coalition of the
investor-owned utilities to move the Frontier Line forward toward reality,"
according to a joint statement released to Platts before a planned
announcement.

The governors and other leaders are gathering this week for the New
Frontiers Power Summit in San Diego.

In April 2005, the four states signed a memorandum of understanding to
pursue the Frontier line to increase transmission capacity for clean energy in
the region. The project has been envisioned as a way to move up to 12,000 MW
across the West.

Utility leaders have agreed to form the "Western Regional Transmission
Expansion Partnership," to conduct a feasibility analysis and conceptual plan
for the project. The effort will "produce a plan that will help the West
realize our dream of building the single largest clean energy enabling
infrastructure project ever proposed for the West," the governors said in the
joint statement.

More transmission will help usher in the next generation of renewable and
advanced coal technologies across the region, according to Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger of California, Kenny Guinn of Nevada, Jon Huntsman of Utah and
Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming.

Utility participants are Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California
Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, Sierra Pacific Power, Nevada Power, Rocky
Mountain Power and Utah Power. Rocky Mountain Power and Utah Power are
divisons of PacifiCorp, which was recently acquired by MidAmerican Energy
Holdings, and David Sokol, chairman and CEO of MidAmerican, also released a
statement supporting the Frontier project.

Issues that need be tackled in the Frontier line feasibility analysis
include forecast demand, project costs, resource options and integration with
other planned expansions.

The feasibility study and conceptual plan are expected to take a year to
complete, according to the governors.

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