Power line may be constructed in Lyon County

Lyon County commissioners will review next week the possible extension of an 18.4-mile power transmission line to Douglas County.

Sierra Pacific Power Co.'s line would parallel an existing line running through Douglas County and part of Lyon County. The new line will be about 40 miles long. Each county must approve its portion. Lyon commissioners will hear a presentation on July 17.

The 120-kilovolt line will run south of Wabuska near the Fort Churchill substation through U.S. Bureau of Land Management territory, through the Pine Nut Mountains and to the northeast side of Minden at the Buckeye power station.

"We are following the growth," said Sierra Pacific spokesman Gary Aldax. "These are some of the fastest growing areas in the state. During summer peak hours the voltage is much lower than we would like it to be. We are doing this to keep the power flowing at acceptable levels."

Aldax said the line should serve projected growth for the next 10 to 15 years.

If things go according to Sierra Pacific's plan, construction of the new line will begin in April. The project should be completed in October 2004.

In Douglas County, Sierra Pacific must seek approval from private land owners and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Douglas County planning commissioners recommended approval of the request on Tuesday. Aldax said the company will not have to face this in Lyon County, where most of the land is owned by the BLM.

Charles Pope, assistant field manager for non-renewable resources for the BLM, is conducting an environmental report to help BLM and Douglas and Lyon counties make their decisions.

"We look at public comment, endangered species, Native American lands, visual impact, soil, water, air and a number of different components," he said. "All of this will help us come up with a decision on how we are going to proceed."

Pope said the BLM will accept public comment until July 31. Comments can be submitted to the BLM Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV, 89701.

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Public comment will be accepted until July 31. Submit comments to: BLM Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV, 89701.