The MoU allows PGE and BPA, both Portland-based electric utilities, to share confidential information on various issues, including system interconnections, substation locations and utilization of existing transmission corridors.
PGE is in the second year of a three-year permitting process for its proposed Cascade Crossing, a double-circuit transmission project stretching from Boardman to Salem.
The project is designed to help improve the reliability of the region’s electricity grid and allow for more renewable energy projects to come online.
Currently, BPA is constructing its own McNary-John Day transmission project to be completed in January 2012, and it is conducting environmental analysis on three proposed 500kV transmission lines.
Additionally, BPA is developing various electrical substations to integrate wind generation into the grid.
