US DOE approves Plains & Eastern Transmission Line

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has recently issued a Record of Decision (ROD) approving the Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission project. DOE’s decision marks an important step towards the construction of America’s largest clean energy infrastructure project.

The Plains & Eastern Clean Line will enable the delivery of 4,000 MW of low-cost, clean power from the Oklahoma Panhandle region to customers in Arkansas, Tennessee and other states in the Mid-South and Southeast. The project will deliver enough power for more than one million homes. The project has a total investment estimated at US$2.5 billion ant it will be 100% funded by private investment.

The decision outlines the roles of Clean Line and DOE in the project, identifies a route for the interstate direct current transmission line, and confirms the beginning point of the project in Oklahoma and a converter station in Arkansas that will deliver 500 MW of clean energy enough to power 160,000 Arkansas homes each year. 

The Plains & Eastern Clean Line will also deliver 3,500 MW of low-cost renewable power to a delivery converter station located near Memphis, Tennessee, where the project will interconnect to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system. This interconnection will allow low-cost clean energy to reach millions of TVA customers and other consumers throughout the Southeast.

Michael Skelly, President of Clean Line Energy, said:

“The Department of Energy’s decision shows that great things are happening in America today. The Plains & Eastern Clean Line is the largest clean energy infrastructure project in the nation and will modernize the U.S. electric grid while bringing forth new investment, job creation, and more low-cost power for American consumers.”

 “After several years of extensive evaluation, we now have the major regulatory approvals in place to begin construction in 2017. We look forward to continuing to invest in this project so that thousands of people have jobs and millions of consumers benefit from the delivery of low-cost clean power. We are encouraged by the strong market demand for low-cost, clean energy and anticipate that interest will only increase now that the project has this essential decision.”

Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, commented:

“The DOE’s decision is a critical milestone that will open up the spigots for billions of dollars in private investment, economic opportunity in rural areas that need it most, and potential savings for American energy consumers. We applaud DOE for their leadership and for supporting a clean, affordable and reliable energy future.We were aware of many wind developers and manufacturers standing ready to get to work. With the path clear for infrastructure needed to get clean energy to market, those wind companies can now invest, build projects, and create jobs in the Oklahoma Panhandle region.”