Midway-Daniel’s Park

Burns & McDonnell was retained by Xcel Energy to provide environmental, land rights, siting and permitting assistance for a major electric transmission line in central Colorado.

Xcel Energy was seeking an acceptable route for an overhead 345-kV transmission line to bring power from the Midway Substation south of Colorado Springs to the Denver area.  The line would be located east of the urban areas of Denver, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs. Burns & McDonnell developed alternative routes and assisted Xcel Energy with open house meetings to present the routes to the public.

Comments and concerns from public officials and landowners during the open house meetings prompted Xcel Energy to expand the study area and look for a route further east. Burns & McDonnell established an expanded study area and gathered land use data for the area using ground reconnaissance, satellite imagery and aerial photographs. An additional set of alternative routes created by Burns & McDonnell was presented to the public at a second set of open house meetings.

• Routing
• Public involvement
• Land use
• Cultural resources
• Wetlands
• Threatened and endangered species
• Geographic information systems (GIS)

Major issues addressed during the routing process included large tract developments, State Trust Lands, U.S. Air Force Academy landing fields and concern for scenic views. Based on the high level of concern expressed during the open house meetings, Xcel Energy decided to explore the option of rebuilding an existing 230-kV line as a double circuit 230-345-kV line from the Midway Substation to the Daniel’s Park Substation. Burns & McDonnell conducted land use analysis of the existing transmission corridor and the rebuild option was presented to the public at a third set of open house meetings. Following the third set of open house meetings, Xcel Energy submitted the rebuild alternative to the Colorado Public Service Commission as well as the counties of Douglas, Elbert and El Paso. All of the jurisdictions approved this final route.

During the routing process, Burns & McDonnell conducted numerous meetings and conferences with area planning staff and public officials, including the U.S. Air Force, to help determine the best routing options. Maps and figures of the alternative routes created by Burns & McDonnell GIS staff were instrumental in explaining the project during all agency and public meetings.

Burns & McDonnell assisted Xcel Energy in preparing documents and testimony for the public hearing before the Colorado Public Service Commission.