BOULDER CITY, Nev.,
Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/
-- The GridLiance 230-kV Sloan Canyon Switching Station,
located approximately 40-miles outside of Las Vegas in Boulder
City, Nevada was officially commissioned today. California and Nevada state, federal land agency, and
local officials, renewable energy developers, and executives from
GridLiance and its parent company, Blackstone, ceremonially threw
the switch to mark the occasion.
The Sloan Canyon Switching Station is part of the
independent electric transmission utility's 16-month,
approximately $50 million transmission improvement project,
which also includes the construction of a 3-mile transmission
line that connects the GridLiance transmission system into the
California Independent System Operator (CAISO) region.
"While this is a major achievement for GridLiance, this
also marks an important step in facilitating additional renewable
energy development in Southwest
Nevada. The switching station and transmission line serve as
a key pathway to undeveloped sites that have been designated
by CAISO as suitable for large-scale photovoltaic solar
systems," said Calvin Crowder,
president and CEO of GridLiance. "The transmission improvement
project is also a great example of federal government agencies and
private companies partnering on the development of clean energy
sources throughout the country."
Located in Clark County,
Nevada, the switching station and high-voltage transmission
upgrades improve the regional electric system's reliability and
resiliency.
Boulder City Mayor Kiernan McManus added, "We are pleased to
welcome GridLiance to the energy production zone in Boulder City, Nevada. The Sloan Canyon
Project will provide additional connections to the power
transmission grid that are vital to the effective use of renewable
energy in the Southwest. Boulder
City was built as the home of Hoover Dam and our tradition
in leading the way for renewable energy is further enhanced by the
work that GridLiance is completing."
In 2017, GridLiance subsidiary GridLiance
West acquired 165 miles of 230-kV transmission lines and
related substation infrastructure from Valley Electric Association
(VEA). The company also acquired the rights to the Sloan Canyon
Improvement Project from VEA.
"Valley Electric congratulates GridLiance West on the Sloan
Canyon project. This new 230-kV switching station and 230-kV
transmission line will encourage more renewable energy projects and
will enhance the transmission grid's reliability to VEA and
Southern Nevada," said
Kathleen Keyes, President of the
Valley Electric Association, Inc. Board. "This project is one of
the many ways that Blackstone and GridLiance are adding value to
their partnership with Valley Electric as well as to the
communities that VEA serves."
About GridLiance
GridLiance is an independent electric transmission utility
holding company. GridLiance partners with electric cooperatives,
public power, and renewable energy developers to plan for the
future of the grid, invest in electric infrastructure and implement
strategies that meet its partners' ownership, capital investment,
and operational goals. Based in Dallas, GridLiance operates hundreds of miles
of transmission lines and related substation facilities in
Nevada, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The company has long-term
partnerships with utility partners operating in Missouri, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Kansas. GridLiance is a portfolio company of
Blackstone Energy Partners, an affiliate of Blackstone (NYSE: BX),
a leading energy infrastructure investor. For more information
about GridLiance, visit gridliance.com.
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SOURCE GridLiance Holdco, LP