Transmission line project critical to Kansas wind future, governor says

TOPEKA – Kansas has the potential to produce up to 10,000 megawatts of wind power, but for that to happen the state needs transmission lines.

“We need to have the transmission line from Spearville to Wichita to be built,” said Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, on Wednesday.

That project needs the Southwest Power Pool to regionlize the rates for that area and approve the project.

The project had dropped off the pool’s priority list, the pool oversees nine states.

On Tuesday the pool’s board move the project back on to the priority list.

“It will continue to be our priority to keep it on that list,” he said.

5 Comments

  1. Tully
    Posted October 28, 2009 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    Have to get it past Westar and their trusty screw-Wichita watchdogs first.

  2. misspiggy
    Posted October 28, 2009 at 4:40 pm | Permalink

    Tully – you are clearly ignorant on this subject. Do some research.

  3. enigma
    Posted October 28, 2009 at 8:31 pm | Permalink

    Transmission lines cost about $1 Million per mile, but they would truly be a great investment for the state. Kansas could be the Saudi Arabia of wind power.

  4. the_truth_hurts
    Posted October 29, 2009 at 7:48 am | Permalink

    “We need to have the transmission line from Spearville to Wichita to be built,” said Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, on Wednesday.

    Well, duh. Thanks for the revelation, Gov. They’ve only been saying this for, like, years. Didn’t you know this little snag was an argument for building the Holcomb plants?

  5. burro
    Posted October 29, 2009 at 8:29 am | Permalink

    MissPiggy–you may be ignorant one on this one. Westar as the TO–transmission owner–of much of Kansas has significant sway over the SPP. To think they don’t exercise is ignorant. This from a former public utility general manager, they exercise considerable sway, especially over new transmission projects that threaten the future of the monopoly.

Post a Comment

Your e-mail address is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*