About the Project
PGE’s Key Principles for Cascade Crossing
- Enhance reliability of the electrical grid.
- Provide access to more renewable energy.
- Minimize impacts on homes, businesses and the environment.
- Follow existing transmission or energy corridors as much as possible.
- Listen and respond to community members and consider feasible alternatives.
- Plan for future power needs.
Portland General Electric proposes to build the Cascade Crossing Transmission Project to help meet Oregon’s growing energy needs, enable development of more renewable power projects, and enhance reliability of the region’s electrical grid. Cascade Crossing will allow PGE to connect new and existing energy generating resources east of the Cascades to the Willamette Valley.
PGE proposes to:
- Construct approximately 22 miles of single circuit and 187 miles of double circuit, 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line running from Boardman to Salem, Oregon. The new line would cross 64 percent privately-owned lands, 20 percent lands managed by federal agencies, 14 percent lands on the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and 2 percent state or municipal lands.
- Build new substations and upgrade existing substations.
- Begin operations in 2016 or 2017.
In addition, PGE may need to upgrade its existing transmission system in the Willamette Valley, including upgrading its 230 kV line from Salem to Oregon City, and installing new conductors on existing subtransmission lines in Salem.
PGE has also signed Memoranda of Understanding with PacifiCorp, Idaho Power and the Bonneville Power Administration to discuss opportunities to cooperate on the development of the Cascade Crossing project.
If permitting is successful and construction moves ahead, PGE expects to complete the project in 2016 or 2017.
Project Role and Responsibilities
Throughout the project, PGE will use its key principles to help guide its decision-making process.
As the project applicant, PGE is responsible for:
Public Outreach
Listening and responding to the public is a PGE priority. PGE is committed to an open, transparent public process in developing and permitting this project.
In October and November 2009, PGE hosted community open houses along possible study corridors for the new proposed 210-mile line to gather public input. In March 2010, PGE held open houses in the Willamette Valley to discuss possible upgrades to its existing system in the Valley. PGE has used feedback from these meetings to inform its internal decision-making process and to address community concerns as early as possible.
PGE staff are available to meet with your group to explain the project, answer questions and explore options. Please contact us through this website if you’d like a project update briefing.
