Richland Substation to Stevens Drive Transmission Line Rebuild Project

Benton County, WA

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to rebuild an approximately three-mile-long segment of the White Bluffs to Richland No. 1 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Richland Substation north to Stevens Drive Substation within the City of Richland, Washington (see enclosed project map). The rebuild is necessary to ensure unplanned outages in the Tri-Cities area are less likely to occur. Over the past five years, the BPA transmission system has experienced 15 unplanned outages on the Richland – Stevens Drive 115 kV line. Six of these outages were resolved by dispatchers who were able to remotely reclose breakers to restore service without investigation or repairs. Five of these outages occurred during peak loading periods in the spring and summer. If BPA takes no action, these outages could increase in frequency and result in longer, more widespread power interruptions to customers in the area.

The project is needed as BPA has obligations to ensure that its transmission system is safe, reliable, and has sufficient capability to serve its customers and prevent overloading under certain outage conditions of other transmission lines. Between Richland and Stevens Drive substations, the existing transmission line is a single-circuit line consisting of wood H-frame and monopole structures. The existing line would be rebuilt as a 115-kV double-circuit transmission line (i.e., two transmission lines on the same structure) on steel monopole structures. Along the existing transmission line corridor, the work would include replacing all existing conductor, H-frame wood pole structures, wood monopoles, selected steel structures, and hardware. Rebuilding the transmission line would also require equipment upgrades at BPA’s Richland Substation and White Bluffs Substation, and city of Richland’s Thayer Drive, Stevens Drive, and First Street substations.

To facilitate the removal of the existing White Bluffs to Richland No. 1 transmission line, the proposed work would take place at the substations and each structure located along the transmission line. The design of new steel monopoles versus wood-pole transmission line would reduce the total number of structures along the transmission line corridor. Some structures would be installed in the same place as the existing transmission structures; however, alternative locations would be required to accommodate new steel monopoles. All structures, regardless of their placement, would be expected to remain in the existing established transmission line right-of-way (ROW) or additional easement would be obtained.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations, BPA is conducting an environmental review to understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal. As part of this process, BPA may prepare an environmental assessment (EA). If BPA determines that an EA should be prepared, the EA would analyze the Richland Substation to Stevens Drive Transmission Line Rebuild, as well as a no-action alternative in which BPA does not rebuild the line. The EA would also describe anticipated impacts to natural and human resources and identify mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. During this process, BPA will work with landowners, Tribes, Federal, State, and local agencies, and interest groups.
The proposed schedule for the environmental review is as follows:

Soping comment period         March 24 to April 26, 2023
Scoping public meeting April 12, 2023
Draft EA comment period (if warranted) Summer 2023
Final EA (if warranted) Winter/Spring 2024
Finding of No Significant Impact (if warranted) Winter/Spring 2024
If decision to build, construction start Summer/Fall 2024

CURRENT STATUS

BPA has concluded scoping and the comment period ended on April 26, 2023. BPA is now considering comments to help determine if an Environmental Assessment is warranted and the issues that should be addressed in the environmental review. 

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Christopher Furey         Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist         Direct line: 503-230-3371
Bonneville Power Administration – EC_-4         E-mail: chfurey@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621


For project information, contact:
Todd Wehner         Toll-free: 800-622-4519
BPA Project Manager Direct line: 360-619-6234
Bonneville Power Administration – TELP-TPP-1 E-mail: tawehner@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

SCOPING
Scoping comments received 
Public Letter (March 24, 2023)
Project Map (March 24, 2023)
Comment Form  (March 24, 2023)
Fact sheet (April 10. 2023)