Federal Investments in the Warm Springs Power Pathway Add to National Security, Technological Supremacy and Prosperity

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In 2023, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS) was selected to receive a $250 million Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help advance vital transmission upgrades to the existing Bethel-Round Butte transmission line in partnership with Portland General Electric (PGE).

Now called the Warm Springs Power Pathway, this project will contribute to the Nation’s economic and military security and our American prosperity, while supporting our country’s position as a leader in global technology.

The transmission line upgrade is an investment in the Nation’s economic and military security

The State of Oregon is seeing significant investment in critical national security installations largely on the west side of the rugged Cascade Mountain range, from crypto operation and semiconductor manufacturing facilities, to data centers that would power artificial intelligence, and other technologies with substantial energy needs. It is critical to ensure there is enough power generated and transmission capacity to deliver an abundant supply of reliable energy in the State to serve this national economic interest, as well ongoing baseload demand.

The project will not only expand vital transmission capacity in the region generally but will also address a central geographic barrier in the critically constrained transmission pathway crossing the Cascade mountains. It will be key in solving regional energy supply deficiencies. It will enable secure transmission of abundant sources of new American energy generation on the east side of the Cascades to meet the projected increasing power demands on the west side of the Cascades through use of an existing transmission corridor.

It will also improve grid reliability, resilience and security to ever-evolving threats. For example, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has identified that increasing the capacity of transmission lines with more robust structures is critical to allow Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and Utah among other states to support each other during periods of peak demand, as well as potentially during weather or cyber-attack events.

Our transmission line upgrade will contribute to the restoration of American prosperity

The newly upgraded transmission capacity will be a critical infrastructure asset that is available to new energy generation sources of any kind in accordance with federal interconnection policies. The project can be deployed efficiently as it will utilize an existing corridor to upgrade the line with new transmission capacity with more robust steel instead of wooden H-frame structures, and will be far less complex than establishing a new right-of-way corridor.

It will also create job opportunities – an estimated 700 construction jobs over the life of the project and many more with the industrial investment enabled by the ability to serve these investments.

The project will be key in solving the affordability of energy supply as it will enable abundant sources of American energy generation east of the Cascades to meet the projected increasing power demands from Oregon’s most densely populated areas, which includes roughly two-thirds of the state’s commercial and industrial activity including high-tech industries on the west side of the Cascades. The project will also ensure demand centers have efficient, flexible and reliable access to energy — another feature critical to bolstering the region’s prosperity through industrial development.

Integrating fiber optic lines along the transmission route will enhance Oregon’s broadband infrastructure network and support:

  • Economic growth, by enabling high-tech development, automation, and attracting businesses.
  • Job creation, as improved connectivity supports business expansion and workforce opportunities.

Our transmission line will support the establishment of our nation’s global technological supremacy

The Warm Springs Power Pathway will unlock the development of a variety of generation infrastructure to accommodate rising demand including new industrial development like data and AI facilities, and ensure they are powered by abundant sources of American-made energy. The Pacific Northwest region faces rapidly rising electricity demand, including from the expansion of data centers, crypto operations, and semiconductor manufacturing that all contribute to increased load above baseload demand. the transmission line upgrade will fuel this American technological innovation by addressing the energy transfer limitations on the existing 230 kV Bethel-Round Butte transmission path with new capacity that can connect abundant energy generation potential to these growing needs.

The transmission line upgrade will enhance the region’s broadband infrastructure network with fiber optic lines integrated along the transmission line route, providing:

  • High-speed internet & data transmission for businesses, residents, and industries.
  • Reliability and security, ensuring stable connectivity and protection from interference.
  • Scalability, in order to facilitate future technology expansions like such as being contemplated by Apple and Open AI data centers, fueling the development of AI technology that is so critical to America’s national security and prosperity.

Some more details about the GRIP grant and the Warm Springs Power Project

CTWS and PGE together will rebuild the infrastructure and expand the capacity of the Bethel-Round Butte transmission line. Rebuilding the corridor as an upgraded, 100-mile 500 kV transmission line, the project will:

  • Upgrade the existing Bethel-Round Butte 230 kV transmission line to 500 kV. Current design options would enable 2,385 MW – 4,770 MW of total transmission capacity with the upgrade. Part of the existing 230 kV transmission line may be maintained for future generation interconnection.
  • Install new, high-capacity fiber optic cables along the entire transmission route
  • Development of new substation facilities that will also support capacity for the transmission of future energy development.

The proposed project will span approximately 100 miles between the Salem and Madras areas. 31 miles of the line will pass through the Warm Springs Reservation.

Completion is anticipated around 2032. This timeline is an estimate subject to permitting and coordination of Tribal, Federal, State and private lands. Consistent with the Department of Energy-approved and -executed cooperative assistance agreement and supporting documentation, the project held a formal kick-off meeting in October 2024 with representatives from the Department of Energy, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs leadership, PGE leadership, and various support and consulting resources. The project is currently proceeding through the steps to procure support for Permitting and Engineering.