How can a power line affect national security?
If the power line feeds energy to military facilities, communications systems, water facilities, air safety facilities, medical facilities, nuclear power and other energy systems, THEN THEY AFFECT NATIONAL SECURITY.
This project is proposed by SunZia Transmission, LLC. The company plans to construct and operate two 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines originating at a new substation in Lincoln County in the vicinity of Corona, New Mexico, and terminating at the Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County near Coolidge, Arizona.
In consideration of public input and analyzing the consequences of the Project proposal, the BLM has identified a preferred alternative, approximately 515 miles in length. It is estimated that approximately 185 miles, or 36 percent of the right-of-way for the BLM preferred alternative, would be located on federally administered lands in New Mexico and Arizona. To the extent feasible and practicable, the proposed SunZia Project transmission lines would be located along existing transmission line corridors and designated utility corridors on federal land.
SunZia currently proposes to interconnect with up to five substations:
Pinal Central (near Coolidge in Pinal County, AZ)
Willow 500 kV (East of US 191 in Graham County, AZ)
Lordsburg (located in Hidalgo County, NM)
SunZia South, also referred to as Midpoint (near Deming in Luna County, NM)
SunZia East (near Corona in Lincoln County, NM)
Other substations may be constructed along SunZia’s route.
Configuration Options
1. Two single-circuit 500 kV AC lines that have an approved rating of 3,000 MW from the Western Electricity Coordinating Council.
2. One single-circuit 500 kV AC line and one single circuit 500 kV DC line with an estimated power transfer capacity of up to 4,500 megawatts.
Configuration number 2 will depend on how much power transfer capacity is in demand by the energy market in the Desert Southwest. In addition, the project’s construction will likely occur in phases (e.g.: line number 1 being built prior to line number 2, etc.) and segment (e.g.: portions between substations may be built and energized before subsequent similar segments, etc.).
If it goes through White Sands Missile Base or other sensitive military bases.
Read the entire article. Routing the power line through the DOD land will render one-third of the White Sands missile test range unsuitable for its national security purpose-testing missiles. Burying part of the line would lessen the impact, but the politically connected greenie guys want the Army to pay that expense, not the investors who get rich on the project—at a time when military budgets are already being cut.
Anyway, wind power is more available at off peak power times, just when it’s less useful for the grid, so this push for wind is to make greenies happy, not better the power grid.