LYREA proposes transmission line, substation

The Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Association (LYREA) is proposing to construct a 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and a new substation in Richland County.  The proposed Fairview West to Spring Lake Transmission Line would connect to an existing Western Area Power Administration (Western) 114-kV transmission line through a new switchyard that would be constructed and operated by Western.

The new line would extend 27 miles west to the new 115-kV/25kV distribution Spring Lake Substation to be constructed and operated by LYREA.

Western is completing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Once complete, the EA will be published and made available for public review and comment. The public comment period will last 30 days, running through Oct. 3. All comments must be received on or before Oct. 3.

During the comment period, the EA will be available for review at the LYREA business office at Hwy 16 NW, Sidney. Take-home copies on CD will be available there as well. The EA will also be available on-line by linking to it from the LYREA Web site at http://www.lyrec.com.

 A limited number of take-home CD copies will be available at the Richland County Public Library, where public computers and Internet access is also available during regular business hours.

If you would like a copy of the completed EA when it becomes available,  contact Rod O’Sullivan at Western at 406-247-7385 or email at osullivan@wapa.gov; or Don Prevost at LYREA at 488-1602 or email at donp@lyrec.com; or Kelly Garvey at 763-591-5453 or email at kelly.garvey@hdrinc.com.