What isn't being said about PacifiCorp's Blueprint project

Here's PacifiCorp's map of five possible routes

(they don’t tell the whole story)

PacifiCorp’s map of the five possible routes that PacifiCorp is currently planning to choose from for the 500kV transmission line called Blueprint South. 500kV transmission lines have 17-story metal towers. All of these routes (A, B, C, D, and F) start near Klamath, OR and end just east of Redmond, OR, at a planned new 50-acre Full Circle substation. 

What PacifiCorp is not telling the community is that it is also planning Blueprint North, which would extend north from the Full Circle substation in Redmond to Boardman, OR. This would involve a second 500kV transmission line, featuring 17-story towers, also crossing the heart of Central Oregon.

MAP 1: show's PacifiCorp's proposed routes, all which would be horrible for Central Oregon

A bird's-eye view of the area PacificCorp intends to ruin.

PacifiCorp's undisclosed plans will change Powell Butte forever.

PacifiCorp is planning many additional power lines across Powell Butte land than it has disclosed to the community. If PacifiCorp chooses Route D for Blueprint South (which seems to be its preferred choice), its massive transmission line would plow east to west through miles of irrigated, prime ranch land, homes, and ag businesses in the Houston Lake Rd/Cornett Loop area to the Full Circle substation outside Redmond.

Blueprint North could mean a second 500kV transmission line across the same ranch land, with another 50-acre substation on Houston Lake Road. 

And no matter which route PacifiCorp chooses (A, B, C, D, or F), it will build FOUR 230kV lines right across Powell Butte. Map 3 shows another possible route for the 230kV lines (Alternative B).

The 230kV lines, plus possibly two 500kV lines, cross precious Powell Butte farm and ranch land and will change Powell Butte forever.

MAP 2: shows one possible path for the four 230kV transmission lines (Alternative A)

MAP 3: shows another possible route for the 230kV lines (Alternative B)

Do PacifiCorp customers want to pay twice for the same solution?

(electricity is already expensive enough!)

Oregon’s power and power transmission needs are real. It is electricity rate payers who ultimately foot the bill for huge transmission projects like Blueprint. There isn’t enough time or money that can be squeezed from customers to build the wrong solution for Oregon.

.BPA already has plans for a new 500kV transmission network from the Columbia River to the southern Oregon border, through Powell Butte. (There would be TWO 500kV lines from the Columbia to Powell Butte and one 500kV line from Powell Butte to the southern border). BPA plans to put in a new, big substation in Powell Butte, close to PacifiCorp’s existing substation that PacifiCorp could expand to tap into for Prineville’s data centers and solar farms. 

BPA also plans a new 230kV line from Powell Butte to LaPine that can bring more power to Bend and Redmond. 

Rather than coordinating with BPA, PacifiCorp’s Blueprint project duplicates BPA’s transmission upgrades along the same path and asks customers to pay twice for the same solution.

MAP 4: PacifiCorp proposes that its customers foot the bill for $3 billion to build its transmission lines along the same routes as Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA's) new grid projects, instead of coordinating with them to SAVE its customers money.

There's actually a more sensible route.

A more eastern route saves Central Oregon from the catastrophic effects of all of PacifiCorp’s proposed A, B, C, D, and F Routes and does not duplicate BPA’s new transmission line projects. 

The East Route serves one of PacifiCorp’s objectives of taking excess solar power generated in Southern Oregon and Northern California to the huge load in the Boardman area, with its 61 (and growing number of) data centers.

MAP 5: This could be a totally different route for PacifiCorp's Blueprint project, with much less negative impact on farms, ranches, and Central Oregon.

PacifiCorp can be STOPPED from ruining Central Oregon.

(…with your help →)

TAKE ACTION

  • Make a public comment.
  • Testify at a hearing.
  • Spread the word. Many people are still unaware!
  • Educate yourself by reading information on this website.