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BPA Proposing New Transmission Line, Substation to Support Tri-Cities Growth by Staff Tri-Cities Journal of Business, June 1, 2025

The Bonneville Power Administration has released a draft environmental assessment for a new 18-mile transmission line and substation to ensure that the Tri-Cities has enough power to meet its current and future energy needs.

The South of Tri-Cities Reinforcement project would install a 500-kilovolt substation at Weber Canyon in the Horse Heaven Hills south of Benton City along the Ashe-Marion 230-kilovolt high-voltage transmission line, according to a release.

The new 115-kilovolt transmission line would then stretch east from that proposed substation, eventually taking one of two routes through Badger Canyon to the existing Leslie Road substation and then on to the existing Badger Canyon substation, according to a map provided by BPA.

"This line is all about making sure there's sufficient transmission capacity to keep the lights on in the Tri-Cities area," said Jeff Cook, BPA's acting vice president for transmission engineering and technical services, in a release. "It also would help local utilities keep pace with growth and provide electric service to new and existing end use customers."

BPA officials say the region's growth and increasing power demands is constraining its transmission system. The new substation and transmission line would improve long-term electric reliability, improve short-term flexibility and address system maintenance needs. Additionally, it could help support future power generation and new electric loads in the area.

This is just one of four projects BPA is proposing to reinforce its transmission infrastructure in the area.

On June 4, BPA will host a public meeting from 6-8 p.m. June 4 for community members to learn about the project. BPA project managers and subject-matter experts will share more about the project purpose, timeline and environmental review.

The meeting will be at Cottonwood Elementary School, 16734 Cottonwood Creek Blvd., in Kennewick. Learn more about the proposed project: www.bpa.gov/learn-and-participate/public-involvement-decisions/project-reviews/south-of-tri-cities.