The focus of the project, which is valued at $1 billion, is to harvest the resources, such as New Mexico’s strong winds with a capacity of 11,300 megawatts (MW), and Arizona’s copious sun energy with 13,300 MW of capacity, and transport those to any power plant in the line of the project.
The proposed line would start either at Socorro or Lincoln County, New Mexico, and would end with Pinal Central substation in Casa Grande, Arizona across from the Fairgrounds on Eleven Mile Corner Road. Several stations along the way would be tied up with the project, which include project in Luna, NM, Hidalgo, NM, Winchester, Arizona, San Manuel, Arizona, the Saguaro and Tortolita stations in Pinal County, and another proposed in Willow, Arizona.
The project has received support from Wilderness Society, said Ian Calkins spokesperson of the project.
The project is expected to be operational by 2013, depending on the permits. 3,000MW to 4,500MW of capacity is expected to be added to the line by using structures, which would be between 130 and 160 feet high, with a span of 1,300 to 1,500 feet between them.
