Willow Creek Winds Project BPA Interconnection
Gilliam County, Oregon

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  
  Willow Creek Energy LLC submitted an interconnection request to BPA for up to 180 megawatts (MW) of power generated from the proposed Willow Creek Winds Project located in Gilliam and Morrow Counties, Oregon. BPA's proposes to interconnect up to 72 MW from the wind project to BPA's Tower-Alkali 115-kV transmission line in Gilliam County. Willow Creek Energy is currently proposing a 72 MW project that would begin operating in 2009, with no firm expansion plans at this time.
  
  The proposed interconnection site is within a BPA right-of-way with four transmission lines. It consists of open, sparsely vegetated land that is privately owned. In order to interconnect the wind project, BPA would need to build several switches within the existing right-of-way. Additional work would be needed at the BPA Boardman Substation, within the substation fence.
  
  

• CURRENT STATUS:

  
  BPA has produced a tiered Record of Decision (ROD) under the BPA Business Plan Environmental Impact Statement. BPA has decided to interconnect the project, and the interconnection facilities will be constructed in 2008 or 2009, which would enable Willow Creek Energy to begin testing of the generation and commence commercial operation.
  
  

• PUBLIC MEETINGS:

  
  A public scoping meeting was held on October 18, 2005, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Arlington High School, 1200 Main Street, Arlington, Oregon.
  
  

• COMMENTS:

  
  BPA accepted public scoping comments on the proposed interconnection from October 3 through November 1, 2005.
  
  

• CONTACT:

  
  Douglas F. Corkran, Environmental Lead, Bonneville Power Administration - KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; direct telephone number 503-230-7646; toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-3713; fax number 503-230-5699; e-mail address: dfcorkran@bpa.gov.
  
  

• DOCUMENTS:

  
  ROD (154Kb pdf) (June 2008)
  ROD Cover Letter (30Kb pdf) (06/18/08)
  Public Scoping Letter (16Kb pdf) (10/03/05)
  Comment Form (21.9Kb pdf) (9/20/05)
  Public Meeting Handout (339Kb pdf) (10/18/05)
  Revised Map with Project Detail (324Kb pdf) (10/20/05)
  Revised Public Map (313Kb pdf) (10/14/05)
  Project Vicinity Map (156Kb pdf) (09/20/05)