FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 17, 2001

CONTACT: Connie Hilzendeger, 406-247-7404, email: hilzen@wapa.gov

BILLINGS, Mont.--A public workshop to identify sites for new power generating facilities and transmission lines to deliver this energy to the power grid is set for Oct. 19 in Billings, Mont. It will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, 27 North 27^th Street, beginning at 9 a.m.

The workshop, hosted by Western Area Power Administration's Upper Great Plains Region, is part of a transmission planning study to determine possible sites in Montana and North Dakota for new generation and transmission facilities. Comments are being accepted until Nov. 2.

Western will use this input to define the scope of the transmission study. It will consider a variety of generation options and both AC and DC transmission technology. Results are expected by next summer.

Western's Upper Great Plains Region owns and operates 7,700 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 99 substations in six states. This transmission grid was designed and built to deliver Federal hydropower to more than 300 consumer- and community-owned utilities across the region. While new power projects are being proposed in Montana and North Dakota, existing transmission lines have little spare capacity.

Details on the workshop and study plan are posted on Western's Web site at www.wapa.gov or from Project Manager Robin Johnson at 406-247-7426.