Preliminary Plan of Development June 2010 Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project Prepared By: Idaho Power Company 1221 West Idaho Street Boise, ID 83702 Preliminary Plan of Development Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project Prepared By Idaho Power Company 1221 West Idaho Street Boise, ID 83702 June 2010 Preliminary Plan of Development Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Background ..............................................................................................................1-2 2 PURPOSE AND NEED .....................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Project Proponent – Idaho Power ............................................................................2-1 2.2 Why is Idaho Power Proposing the B2H Project? ....................................................2-1 2.2.1 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Requirements ..............................2-1 2.2.2 Idaho and Oregon Public Utility Commission Requirements........................2-2 2.2.3 Regional Planning Studies Identify the Need for B2H ..................................2-3 2.2.4 B2H Will Add Necessary Capacity and Improve Reliability ..........................2-4 2.3 The B2H Transmission Line Addresses Identified Needs........................................2-6 3 PROPOSED FACILITIES..................................................................................................3-1 3.1 Transmission Line Descriptions by County ..............................................................3-1 3.1.1 Segment 1 – Morrow County........................................................................3-1 3.1.2 Segment 2 – Umatilla County.......................................................................3-9 3.1.3 Segment 3 – Union County ..........................................................................3-9 3.1.4 Segment 4 – Baker County ........................................................................3-10 3.1.5 Segment 5 – Malheur County.....................................................................3-11 3.1.6 Segment 6 – Owyhee County.....................................................................3-11 3.2 Substation Descriptions..........................................................................................3-12 3.2.1 Grassland Substation .................................................................................3-12 3.2.2 Hemingway Substation...............................................................................3-13 3.3 Project Facilities .....................................................................................................3-16 3.4 Transmission Line Support Structures ...................................................................3-17 3.4.1 Structure and Conductor Clearances .........................................................3-21 3.4.2 Structure Foundations ................................................................................3-21 3.4.3 Geotechnical Borings .................................................................................3-21 3.5 Conductors.............................................................................................................3-22 3.6 Other Hardware......................................................................................................3-22 3.6.1 Insulators....................................................................................................3-22 3.6.2 Grounding Systems ....................................................................................3-23 3.6.3 Minor Additional Hardware .........................................................................3-24 3.7 Communication Systems........................................................................................3-24 3.7.1 Overhead Ground Wire ..............................................................................3-24 3.7.2 Regeneration Stations ................................................................................3-25 3.8 Access Roads ........................................................................................................3-26 3.9 Substations.............................................................................................................3-28 3.9.1 Bay .............................................................................................................3-28 3.9.2 Access Roads.............................................................................................3-29 3.9.3 Control Building ..........................................................................................3-29 3.9.4 Fencing and Landscaping ..........................................................................3-29 4 SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION..............................................................................................4-1 4.1 Land Requirements and Disturbance.......................................................................4-1 4.1.1 Right-of-Way Required .................................................................................4-1 4.1.2 Right-of-Way Acquisition ..............................................................................4-1 4.1.3 Land Disturbance .........................................................................................4-4 4.2 Transmission Line Construction...............................................................................4-5 4.2.1 Transmission Line System Roads ................................................................4-6 June 2010 iii Preliminary Plan of Development Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project 4.2.2 Staging Areas ...............................................................................................4-7 4.2.3 Site Preparation............................................................................................4-8 4.2.4 Install Structure Foundations........................................................................4-8 4.2.5 Erect Support Structures ..............................................................................4-9 4.2.6 String Conductors, Shield Wire, and Fiber Optic Ground Wire ....................4-9 4.2.7 Cleanup and Site Reclamation ...................................................................4-11 4.3 Communication System .........................................................................................4-11 4.3.1 Regeneration Stations ................................................................................4-11 4.3.2 Access Roads.............................................................................................4-11 4.4 Substation Construction .........................................................................................4-12 4.4.1 Substation Roads .......................................................................................4-12 4.4.2 Soil Boring ..................................................................................................4-12 4.4.3 Clearing and Grading .................................................................................4-12 4.4.4 Storage and Staging Yards ........................................................................4-12 4.4.5 Grounding...................................................................................................4-12 4.4.6 Fencing.......................................................................................................4-13 4.4.7 Foundation Installation ...............................................................................4-13 4.4.8 Oil Containment..........................................................................................4-13 4.4.9 Structure and Equipment Installation..........................................................4-13 4.4.10 Control Building Construction .....................................................................4-14 4.4.11 Conductor Installation.................................................................................4-14 4.4.12 Conduit and Control Cable Installation .......................................................4-14 4.4.13 Construction Cleanup and Landscaping.....................................................4-14 4.5 Special Construction Techniques...........................................................................4-14 4.5.1 Blasting.......................................................................................................4-14 4.5.2 Helicopter Use ............................................................................................4-15 4.5.3 Water Use...................................................................................................4-16 4.6 Construction Elements ...........................................................................................4-17 4.6.1 Construction Workforce ..............................................................................4-17 4.6.2 Construction Equipment and Traffic ...........................................................4-17 4.6.3 Removal of Facilities and Waste Disposal .................................................4-20 4.7 Construction Schedule ...........................................................................................4-21 5 SYSTEM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE..................................................................5-1 5.1 Routine System Operation and