Massive new power corridor proposed for central Oregon

The federal plan could boost renewable energy generation across central and eastern Oregon. But there’s a November catch

Powerful idea: The West needs more efficient electricity distribution. The government has a plan. Photo by Sheila Sund/CC

By Kendra Chamberlain. May 21, 2024. The U.S. Department of Energy is proposing to designate a new “national interest” transmission corridor in an area that stretches from central and eastern Oregon to Nevada. Such designation would unlock federal financing tools for future transmission projects within the corridor’s boundaries.

The Mountain-Northwest corridor, one of 10 National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC) proposed across the country by the DOE, stretches 500 miles from central Oregon south into Nevada.

The proposal is the latest piece of President Biden’s energy strategy and could boost renewable energy generation across central and eastern Oregon.

But its completion will likely depend on Biden’s reelection. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is expected to kill the proposal if he wins the election in November.

NIETC designation is not related to any specific transmission project. Instead, the designation enables developers to access special funding tools while proposing transmission line projects within the boundaries of the NIETC.

Dr. Adria Brooks of DOE’s Grid Deployment Office said in a May 16 information session that the Mountain-Northwest corridor is co-located within Bureau of Land Management land and follows existing infrastructure.

Map: Western Electricity Coordinating Council (March 2021)

Transmission projects within the corridor would offer inter-regional connections between the Pacific Northwest and Mountain regions and neighboring California grid systems.

California’s ISO ( CAISO ) system is often plagued by congestion along transmission lines between the southern and northern parts of the state, and between it and the PNW (Northwest) grid systems. A DOE analysis determined congestion charges tripled between 2019 and 2020 to reach $236 million due to congestion on the two major interties linking CAISO with the Northwest.

The department said inter-regional transmission lines between Oregon and Nevada could help ease congestion between Oregon and California by offering alternative pathways for energy to travel between the three grid regions.

Energy generated in the Pacific Northwest is sent to California to meet soaring demand there.

Power demand in eastern Oregon is set to soar, too. Amazon alone is planning to build at least 10 more data centers in eastern Oregon, according to reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive .

Brooks said transmission projects within the corridor could also help integrate new renewable energy sources in the region and could even help increase grid resiliency in the face of increasing wildfire risks.

Preliminary pathways for National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designation. Map is an approximation for illustrative purposes only. Map: U.S. Department of Energy

DOE has identified 10 areas across the country for NIETC designation. Each proposed corridor will need to undergo public comment and environmental review before being officially designated.

Brooks said the boundaries of the proposed NIETC aren’t set in stone and may change after public input and environmental reviews have been completed. That process is expected to take about two years.

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