RELIABILITY UPGRADE FOR SOUTHERN COLORADO

A growing power and reliability demand

We consistently evaluate our system for factors that could impact the reliability or safety of the electric service we deliver. Age and capacity are two core factors. Continued growth and the need for additional infrastructure to serve communities like Pueblo West, Penrose and Cañon City, is driving a proposed project to ensure delivery of the reliable electric service that our region needs to thrive. In the last few years, Pueblo West alone set an all-time historical system peak load and experienced a 48 percent load growth, meaning we’re close to having more demand than ability to deliver electricity. In Penrose and Cañon City, if service on our one transmission line is interrupted, customers in those communities could experience a total loss of power.

Reliability is key

We know from Southern Colorado customer surveys that Black Hills customers care deeply about reliability. Our ultimate goal is to provide the most dependable energy as efficiently possible and we make all business decisions with cost-efficiencies in mind. The Reliability Upgrade delivers on our mission to ensure the reliable, safe and clean energy that our Southern Colorado communities need to thrive and grow.

Increasing reliability for Southern Colorado

This upgrade will enhance and maintain reliable energy by providing additional energy for over 34,000 homes, businesses, hospitals and other facilities in Pueblo and Fremont Counties currently served by Black Hills. It will reduce the risk of overload, safeguard against total power losses now and create opportunities for upgrading current distribution lines in the future, without interrupting power to homes and businesses.

Plus, reliable electric service is an important driver of growth and community prosperity for Southern Colorado. Black Hills is proud to provide the reliable energy that will be vital in powering and growing new businesses in the region and support and sustain efforts like the Cañon City downtown revitalization.

We are building a transmission line

The transmission line and 125-foot right-of-way easement would start at the West Substation and travel northwest through the Pueblo West Metro District designated utility corridor until it meets the existing natural gas pipeline easement. The transmission line then traverses west, following the pipeline easement for 11 miles until it meets and parallels the existing WAPA 230-kilovolt line in Fremont County, finally reaching its end in Cañon City.

The Reliability Upgrade for Southern Colorado will deliver power from our existing West Station in Pueblo and our proposed three new substations located in the industrial park of Pueblo West, at the intersection of 115th and K Streets in Penrose, and west of the Hog Back in Cañon City.

When completed, the transmission line will consist of overhead wires and a combination of steel single poles 70 to 90 feet high, spaced approximately every 500 feet, and horizontal H-frame structures 60 to 80 feet high, spaced approximately every 600 feet.

Reviewing variables

Selecting a route is a complex process and we had to balance local, physical and technological constraints with the goal of delivering improved reliability to the community. Throughout this process, Black Hills has partnered with HDR to explore a variety of potential routes and approaches suggested by customers, including undergrounding the line.

We found that undergrounding the line would be seven-times more expensive to all our Southern Colorado customers, not just those directly benefiting from this update, so we decided not to pursue this option. Other routes we looked at either impacted more landowners, disturbed more land or were more expensive, so we believe this route, with the adjustments to accommodate customer input, is our best solution.

Our currently proposed route is not the same as we previously proposed to the Pueblo County Commissioners. We’ve applied feedback and negotiated alternatives where possible. For example, we worked with Fort Carson to construct the line north of Penrose, removing the easement from customers’ backyards.

Safety is our first priority

Our number one priority is always public safety, employee safety and contractor safety. We regularly patrol the line to maintain the easement and reduce risks of fire or other accidents. Plus, we proactively prepare our linemen by training them on fire safety and on our Black Hills Major Event and Incident Response plan, to ensure we can respond quickly and efficiently.

Black Hills will operate the transmission line in accordance with all local, state and federal requirements.