Pacific Power moves Oregon transmission line east after public pushback
Built WorldUtility shifts 180-mile line into a rural corridor; some residents remain split
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Overview
Updated 2 hours agoPacific Power has moved its preferred route for a 180-mile transmission line east, away from subdivisions near Bend, after a year of community opposition. The new Route M runs through a more rural corridor across Crook, Deschutes, Lake, and Klamath counties, from a proposed substation near Prineville to an existing connection near Klamath Falls.
The 500-kilovolt line is designed to ease grid congestion and move renewable energy across south-central Oregon. Route M is preliminary, and PacifiCorp says it could change before the routing study concludes this year. Some Powell Butte residents welcome the shift; others were told the line could come within half a mile of their homes.
Why it matters
This line determines how Oregon's renewable energy reaches the grid for decades, and whether rural residents near Bend live next to 180-foot towers.
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Prediction History
People Involved
Organizations Involved
Electric utility proposing the 180-mile Blueprint South transmission line through south-central Oregon.
County board that urged PacifiCorp to favor an eastern route in May 2025.
County board that also supported the eastern Route D alignment.
State body that reviews and approves large energy projects in Oregon.
Timeline
November 2023 September 2026
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Virtual open house scheduled
Upcoming Public MeetingResidents can review and comment on the refined routes online.
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Route M named preferred corridor
Today AnnouncementPacifiCorp identifies Route M for the 500-kV line and Route BB for a 230-kV connector east of Bend.
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Public hearing held on project
Public HearingOregon holds a public hearing on the Blueprint South transmission line project.
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Powell Butte residents pack community meeting
Public MeetingOpponents of Routes A and B voice concerns about homes, farms, and scenic land near the proposed corridor.
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Deschutes commissioners urge eastern Route D
StatementChang and DeBone press PacifiCorp to favor an eastern corridor affecting fewer homes and farms.
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Routing study begins for Blueprint South line
PlanningPacifiCorp launches a study to find a route for a 500-kV line across four Oregon counties.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Gateway West transmission line (2008-present)
A roughly 1,000-mile, 500-kV transmission line proposed across Idaho and Wyoming by Rocky Mountain Power, a PacifiCorp brand. Routing was revised multiple times in response to concerns about scenic views, sage grouse habitat, and local opposition.
Some segments completed; others delayed for over a decade by environmental review and routing disputes.
Became a model for phased transmission development with ongoing public engagement.
The closest precedent to Blueprint South: a 500-kV line from the same utility parent navigating rural routing conflicts.
Atlantic Coast Pipeline (2014-2020)
Duke Energy and Dominion Energy planned a 600-mile natural gas pipeline through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Legal challenges over the Appalachian Trail crossing and environmental permits drove mounting delays and cost overruns.
The companies cancelled the project in July 2020 after years of litigation.
Showed that cumulative legal opposition can kill an infrastructure project entirely.
A reminder that routing opposition, if it persists through litigation, can end a project.
Mountain Valley Pipeline (2014-2024)
A 303-mile natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia. Legal challenges over water crossings and federal permits halted construction repeatedly. The 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act directed agencies to approve remaining permits, and the pipeline was completed in June 2024.
Construction finished after years of delays and cost increases.
Set a precedent for Congress overriding environmental review to speed energy infrastructure.
Shows how permitting and legal challenges can stretch a major energy project into a decade-long fight.
