Big Rio Sol Transmission Line Heading for Construction Phase

Work may begin two years from now on the building of a new transmission line that will cross state borders and connect New Mexico to Arizona.

The project belongs to the Southwestern Power Group and will see the building of a line stretching some 550 miles and carrying 1,600 megawatts of power.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has now given its approval to a plan allowing what is being called the Rio Sol Transmission Project to sell its capacity to interested parties.                                                                                         

The FERC decision, notes the publication RechargeNews, will require Rio Sol to “sell electric transmission capacity at negotiated rates through an open solicitation and allocation process.”                                                                           

The project is expected to cost around $2.4 billion to complete, with Torrance, New Mexico as its most western point, before a dip to the southwest just below Silver City, and a final thrust westward, ending up just to the northwest of Tucson.

Perhaps as many as half a dozen substations will also be built along the project’s route in order to help move the power from place to place.

Originally conceived in 2006, the Rio Sol line will generally run along the same route as the much-anticipated $11 billion Sun Zia transmission line which is currently under construction.

With the permitting process for the Rio Sol project still underway, work is forecast to begin in 2026. If all goes as anticipated, the line will be fully operational in 2028.

​By Garry Boulard

Image Credit: Courtesy of Pixabay

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