Idaho Power to Rebuild Wood River Valley Transmission Line

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Power is planning to rebuild an aging transmission line that provides electricity to the Wood River Valley.

The Idaho Mountain Express reports that over the next two years the utility will rebuild the 59-mile-long line that extends from Idaho Power's King substation, southwest of Gooding, to the Wood River substation north of Hailey. Construction is planned to start in 2016. The line crosses 28.5 miles of public land managed by the BLM.

Idaho Power says that installing a new conductor will allow for higher capacity and help with outages. An environmental assessment released by the BLM last month indicates that the project will have little impact on the environment. There are 14 sage grouse leks within two miles of the line, but the BLM concluded they wouldn't be disturbed.