Oklahoma Corporation commission order marks major milestones in plains & Eastern Clean Line's goal to export Oklahoma's Clean Energy.
HOUSTON (October 28, 2011) – Plains and Eastern Clean Line Oklahoma LLC (Plains & Eastern Clean Line), an affiliate of Clean Line Energy Partners LLC (Clean Line) of Houston, Texas, is pleased to announce that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission approved Plains & Eastern Clean Line’s request to conduct business as a public utility in Oklahoma. This approval marks a major milestone in Plains & Eastern Clean Line’s efforts to connect 7,000 megawatts of clean energy generation from western Oklahoma, southwest Kansas, and the Texas Panhandle to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Arkansas, and other southeastern markets.
Support is growing in Memphis and throughout the Southeast for high voltage direct current (HVDC) projects to deliver cost-effective clean energy. Last week the Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) Division Board of Commissioners passed unanimously a resolution in support of the development of HVDC transmission to transport clean energy to western Tennessee. The Board noted in the resolution that it will work cooperatively with TVA to bring additional low-cost, clean energy to benefit MLGW’s customers.
“Clean Line’s project is another great example of Oklahoma’s strong legacy as an energy leader,” said Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. “Energy projects like the Plains & Eastern Clean Line are opportunities to develop Oklahoma’s resources, create jobs, and spur energy innovation. Enhanced electric transmission is a key ingredient of energy policy, and I am proud of Oklahoma’s leadership in pushing that forward.”
The Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission line project will make possible approximately $14 billion in new clean energy projects that will create thousands of jobs, increase state and local tax revenues, and
deliver enough low-cost clean energy to power approximately two million homes. The renewable energy will be transported through approximately 800-mile overhead HVDC transmission lines.
County commissioners, superintendents, wind developers, mayors, town administrators, and local ranchers and business owners submitted over 750 pages of letters, emails, comments, and faxes to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in support of Plains & Eastern Clean Line’s application. During the four days of public comment at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission hearings, more than 40 Oklahomans, many of whom traveled hundreds of miles, voiced their support in person for the Plains & Eastern Clean Line. State Representative Gus Blackwell, who represents District 61 and all of the three counties in the Oklahoma Panhandle, presented public comment in favor of the project.
“We have an opportunity to help shape the future of the energy landscape in the United States, while creating new jobs and improving the diversity of America’s energy supply with cost-effective clean power,” said Michael Skelly, Clean Line President. “Projects like the Plains & Eastern Clean Line are vital to growing the nation’s clean energy economy. Clean Line thanks the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for the extensive consideration they have given our application. We are pleased with the Commission’s order, which will support tremendous investment and create thousands of jobs. We are very grateful for the outstanding support we received from landowners, community leaders, legislators and environmental groups and look forward to continuing to work with state authorities, leaders and communities as our project moves forward.”
Clean Line recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Plains & Eastern Clean Line and TVA, a corporation owned by the U.S. government that generates electricity for nine million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. The purpose of the MOU is to identify the full range of benefits that HVDC transmission projects may provide to TVA’s stakeholders and to explore non-discriminatory methods for TVA to utilize independent transmission as a means to improve system reliability, increase resource flexibility, and enhance the potential for the integration of renewables.
“Plains & Eastern Clean Line will solidify Oklahoma’s leadership in clean energy manufacturing,” said Phil Albert, Pelco Structural LLC President and Chief Operating Officer, whose manufacturing operations
are located in Claremore, Oklahoma. “We applaud the Corporation Commission’s decision and our state’s leaders for forward-thinking policies to support business investment and economic growth. This project creates significant growth opportunities for Oklahoma manufacturers such as Pelco Structural and many other businesses in the state.”
Clean Line is dedicated to treating local stakeholders and landowners fairly and respectfully. Developing a project of this scale is a long-term undertaking, and Clean Line Energy is fully committed to developing the Plains & Eastern Clean Line in an environmentally responsible and transparent manner.
“The OCC’s decision is a great opportunity for us in the Oklahoma panhandle,” said Vicki Ayers-McCune, Panhandle Regional Economic Director. “We are excited at the prospect of using our vast wind and other clean energy resources. The Plains & Eastern Clean Line will provide substantial new investment in Oklahoma through quality jobs, economic diversification and ad valorem revenue for our schools, hospitals and other community projects. We applaud the Commission for the positive decision.”
The $3.5 billion project is expected to take several years to fully permit and could begin commercial operations as early as 2017. In the meantime, Clean Line will continue to engage with local communities as well as state and national stakeholders throughout the project area.
For more information about the Plains & Eastern Clean Line, please visit www.plainsandeasterncleanline.com.
About Clean Line Energy Partners: Clean Line’s mission is to connect abundant, renewable energy resources to areas that have a high demand for clean, reliable energy. Clean Line is developing a series of high voltage direct current transmission projects to move clean energy to market. For more information please visit www.CleanLineEnergy.com.
