STATELINE 34.5-KV UNDERGROUND COLLECTION SYSTEM
Wallula, Washington
OWNER—FPL ENERGY
Juno Beach, Florida
The Stateline Wind Energy Project is currently the largest single-owner wind energy project in the world. It is designed for ultimate construction of 454 wind turbine generators and 300 MW. Initially the project will have 400 wind turbines generating about 265 MW of power. The project is designed to deliver 200 MW at 230 kV to the PacifiCorp Wallula Substation, and 100 MW to BPA’s 115-kV Franklin – Wallula transmission line.
TriAxis provided the collection system design (95 circuit miles of 34.5-kV, 3-phase, underground cables) that connects the wind turbine generators to the Nine Mile Substation. The collection system consists of 10 main circuits, each with cable sizes ranging from 2/0 1000 kcmil. This fully underground system is designed for long life with economical construction and operation. Most circuits are placed in easily dug trenches; some, however, required trenching on ridgelines of fractured rock. Some circuits cross under railroads and gas pipelines.
This was a fast-track design project requiring staged design submittals to accommodate the contractor’s schedule, and continuous design modification to accommodate refinements to the turbine string locations. Construction of the project started in February 2001 and its wind-generated power began flowing into the northwest power grid on July 16, 2001.
Wallula, Washington
OWNER—FPL ENERGY
Juno Beach, Florida
The Stateline Wind Energy Project is currently the largest single-owner wind energy project in the world. It is designed for ultimate construction of 454 wind turbine generators and 300 MW. Initially the project will have 400 wind turbines generating about 265 MW of power. The project is designed to deliver 200 MW at 230 kV to the PacifiCorp Wallula Substation, and 100 MW to BPA’s 115-kV Franklin – Wallula transmission line.
TriAxis provided the collection system design (95 circuit miles of 34.5-kV, 3-phase, underground cables) that connects the wind turbine generators to the Nine Mile Substation. The collection system consists of 10 main circuits, each with cable sizes ranging from 2/0 1000 kcmil. This fully underground system is designed for long life with economical construction and operation. Most circuits are placed in easily dug trenches; some, however, required trenching on ridgelines of fractured rock. Some circuits cross under railroads and gas pipelines.
This was a fast-track design project requiring staged design submittals to accommodate the contractor’s schedule, and continuous design modification to accommodate refinements to the turbine string locations. Construction of the project started in February 2001 and its wind-generated power began flowing into the northwest power grid on July 16, 2001.
