Burley, Idaho (KMVT-TV) The Bureau of Land Management office in Burley says that plans are on the table to build a 500 kilovolt direct current transmission line through Southern Idaho.

The Zephyr transmission line would begin in Chugwater, in southeastern Wyoming and run all the way to Eldorado Valley, Nevada, near Las Vegas.

Mike Courtney, Manager of the Bureau of Land Management's field office in Burley, says, "Cassia County is affected. They're on the list of possible alternatives, so there's a map that is a possible alternative for this transmission line that would cross southern Cassia County."

The Zephyr transmission line would be a high power transmission line, very much like the one several miles northeast of Jerome.

Courtney says there are several alternatives for the transmission line's location that they'll analyze. Along the way, the routes that won't work will be dropped from the proposal.

Courtney says, "It's being processed by the Wyoming state office. And the applicant doesn't expect to move very fast. In fact, it'll probably be 2015 or later before they want us to start."

Courtney says this proposal follows Cassia County's recommended route along the Southern Idaho border. He says there will be scoping meetings, the company will talk to community leaders, and they'll refine the proposal as the process continues.

Courtney says, "There's usually at least 3 options, and when you're talking transmission lines that are this length, there's always localized areas where there's issues. And so there may be more local alternatives develop."

June 15, 2012.