Jul 16 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Jack Money The Oklahoman

Wind mill farms in northwest Oklahoma can't happen without a way to get the power to potential customers.

Consequently, state officials were overjoyed Tuesday to learn that OGE Energy Corp. and a subsidiary of American Electric Power are joining forces to build high voltage power lines to serve ongoing development of the farms in western Oklahoma.

The venture, called Horizon Transmission, plans to start building projects in the latter half of 2009 and complete its work by the end of 2013, officials said.

Subject to the regulators' approval, initial projects will include 765 kilovolt lines from Woodward to Guymon, and from Woodward north to the Kansas state line.

A growing economy

A study by the Southwest Power Pool estimates the lines will cost about $500 million.

"This is one of the most important -- if not the most important -- announcements by our electric utilities in the last 25 years," said David Fleischaker, Oklahoma's energy secretary.

"The construction of these high-capacity transmission lines in western Oklahoma will transform the energy landscape for our state and the nation by bringing large amounts of wind-generated electricity to the marketplace," he said.

OGE's partner in Horizon Transmission is Electric Transmission America, a joint venture of subsidiaries of American Electric Power and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co.

OGE will own half of the joint venture, company officials said.

"Oklahoma again has an opportunity to grow its economy while delivering a highly valued resource to our region," said Pete Delaney, chairman, president and chief executive of OGE Energy Corp. "This time, it's the clean and renewable energy resource provided by the consistent winds present in western Oklahoma."

Investing in state

Delaney added that OGE's partners in the venture are strong and experienced.

"These extra-high voltage lines will not only help unlock the wind potential and opportunities for investment in Oklahoma, but also will provide a valuable renewable source of electricity to Oklahoma's utility customers," he said.

In May, Electric Transmission America formed a similar joint venture with Westar Energy to build 765 kilovolt lines between Spearville, Kan., and the Oklahoma border north of Woodward. That project, named Prairie Wind Transmission, is proposing to build approximately 230 miles of transmission lines and other needed equipment from Wichita, Kan., west to near Dodge City, Kan., and then south to the Kansas and Oklahoma border near Medicine Lodge, Kan. The estimated cost of that project is $600 million.

The Horizon Transmission and Prairie Wind Transmission projects encompass the first two segments of the Southwest Power Pool's plan to upgrade the region's high voltage grid.

Separately, OGE's Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. already is proposing to build a 345 kilovolt transmission line between Woodward and northwest Oklahoma City. That line is targeted for completion in 2010.