PR 67 05 BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2005 Contact: Mike Hansen | , BPA (503)-230-5131     Teton Pass tower upgrades to reduce winter outages JACKSON, Wyo. - The Bonneville Power Administration announced today that it will replace tower parts this summer and fall near the summit of Teton Pass with components designed to better withstand icy weather and to reduce the risk of outages. BPA officials said they are working with local recreational groups to minimize disruption of recreational access to the area during construction in the August - October period. They will work on the tops of three towers near the summit of Teton Pass, seven miles west of Jackson. Construction will increase noise temporarily along the right of way. In September and October, crews will use implosive fittings to connect lengths of wire. These devices, which emit a loud bang, produce superior electrical connections. Before use of the fittings, BPA will advise local residents. BPA built the original Swan Valley-Teton 115-kilovolt transmission line through the Teton Pass in 1968. BPA added a second 115-kilovolt transmission line in 2001 to improve the reliability of transmitting power to the Lower Valley Energy utility and the Jackson area. While the new line improved transmission reliability into the Jackson Hole area, it has experienced numerous electrical outages. In winter the wires can contact each other when heavy ice and snow drop from the wires causing them to jump into and touch nearby wires. This was a problem last winter when one or both lines shorted out and power was temporarily lost. The replacement tower and tops will widen the span between the wires so that adjacent wires won't hit each other when ice and snow suddenly fall. Construction on the $2.7 million project is scheduled to start the last week of July and be completed by late October 2005. BPA will minimize disruption of recreational access to the area during construction. Access to the area will be closed briefly for safety reasons during helicopter or crane operations, when new wire is being strung or when equipment is being moved in or out of the area. This work may also cause some traffic delays. BPA and its contractors will use informational signs at the pass and periodically post construction schedules in advance at the pass. BPA hopes to have any temporarily closed trails open by 4 p.m. each day so recreational users will not be inconvenienced during the popular late afternoon and evening hours. For more information, call BPA toll-free at (888) 276-7790 or visit BPA's Web site at: www.transmission.bpa.gov/PlanProj/Transmission_Projects Submitted for distribution on 08-02-2005 at 3:29 PM

Bonneville Power Administration, 905 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232 Mailing Address: Media Relations - DM7, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621 Phone: (503)230-5131 FAX: (503) 230-5884 Web Site: http://www.bpa.gov