NV ENERGY ON LINE DSEIS (FORMERLY ELY ENERGY CENTER PROJECT), NV

JBR prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the One Nevada 500 kV Transmission Line (ON Line Project). The ON Line Project would be on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Ely and Southern Nevada District Offices. The project would include a new 500/345 kV substation referred to as Robinson Summit Substation located in White Pine County, a new 236-mile long 500 kV transmission line and fiber optic communication facilities from the proposed Robinson Summit Substation to the existing Harry Allen Substation located in Clark County, addition of new 500 kV electrical facilities inside the existing Harry Allen Substation, a loop-in of the existing Falcon-Gonder 345 kV transmission line at Robinson Summit Substation, an expansion to install new 345 kV electrical equipment at the existing Falcon Substation in Eureka County, and associated access roads into and along the transmission line. These electrical and communication facilities were previously proposed as components of the former Ely Energy Center (EEC) Project, which consisted of the facilities described above plus another parallel 500 kV transmission line, a 1,500 MW coal-fired power plant located north of Ely, power plant water supply, rail connections to the power plant, and ancillary facilities supporting the power plant. 

A Draft EIS evaluating the entire EEC (NV-040-09-001) was released on January 2, 2009.  On February 9, 2009, NV Energy announced its decision to postpone construction of the EEC power plant and associated supporting facilities and to continue with the permitting and development of the substation, transmission, and communication components between its southern and northern service territories, and upgrade of existing substations, now referred to as the ON Line Project.  Starting in 2006, JBR evaluated resources on approximately 45,000 acres of land potentially impacted by what is now the proposed ON Line Project, performing all related baseline studies for the SEIS, including wildlife, threatened and endangered species, wetlands, vegetation, visual, noise, and water resources for the proponent. JBR is currently preparing the Final Supplemental EIS which should be distributed in late 2010.

• Brian Buck - Vice President -