
The SunZia line is one of seven pilot projects the Obama administration put on a fast track in hopes of boosting renewable energy development, mainly across the West.
John Strand, a consultant on public outreach and governmental affairs for the project, said the SunZia line will come into Luna County near Lake Valley, and a mid-point substation will be built seven-to-10 miles north of Deming, just off Highway 26.
Strand said the lines will turn west from the substation, and go just north of Black Mountain, then will follow existing power lines west to another substation near Lordsburg before following lines into Arizona and a substation near Casa Grande.
The project reportedly will have a positive economic impact on Luna County with construction jobs and property tax revenue.
SunZia Transmission, LLC, proposed the lines nearly a decade ago to transport electricity generated by power generation sources – including primarily renewable resources like wind and solar – to western power markets and load centers.
The project consists of the construction, operation, and maintenance of two parallel overhead 500 kilovolt transmission lines located on federal, state, and private lands from the proposed SunZia East Substation in Lincoln County to the existing Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County, Arizona.
The project started as a partnership with Southwestern Power Group, the Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power, Energy Capital Partners, and Shell WindEnergy, Incorporated.