Great Basin Transmission breaks ground on $1B power line connecting Nevada and Idaho

Great Basin Transmission, an affiliate of LS Power, held a groundbreaking ceremony in Ely on Wednesday, Sept. 3, to mark the start of construction on the Southwest Intertie Project-North (SWIP-North), a 285-mile high-voltage transmission line connecting Nevada and Idaho. The $1 billion-plus infrastructure project features a 500-kilovolt line running between the Robinson Summit Substation near Ely and the Midpoint Substation near Twin Falls, Idaho.

SWIP-North represents the final segment of a 576-mile regional energy corridor first conceived in the 1980s that links Idaho’s Magic Valley to Nevada’s Eldorado Valley south of Las Vegas. More than 70% of the new line will be built in Nevada, completing a system that incorporates earlier phases developed by LS Power, including the 231-mile One Nevada Transmission Line completed in 2014 and the 60-mile DesertLink line completed in 2020.

Once energized, the entire corridor will be capable of transmitting more than 2,000 megawatts of bidirectional electricity—enough to power over 1.5 million homes—while providing 500 megawatts of dedicated northbound capacity for Idaho Power customers. The expanded infrastructure will strengthen grid reliability, ease regional transmission congestion and expand access to diverse energy resources across the West.

LS Power Chief Executive Officer Paul Segal emphasized that reliable regional power depends on major investments in transmission, describing SWIP-North as a vital new pathway between the Pacific Northwest and the Desert Southwest. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo also praised the project’s strategic significance for the state.

“Construction of this last phase of the Southwest Intertie Project underscores Nevada’s position as a strategic energy hub for the West,” Lombardo said. “SWIP-North will provide benefits for Nevadans, including additional transmission capacity, new energy import and export opportunities, increased energy reliability for residents and businesses and enhanced resiliency against extreme weather events and wildfires.”

The project operates through a unique partnership model between private developers, regional utilities and grid operators, with capacity rights shared between NV Energy, Idaho Power and the California Independent System Operator. Construction began in summer 2026 with completion targeted for 2028. In addition to strengthening grid infrastructure, the development is expected to generate approximately 300 construction jobs, drive over $375 million in regional economic activity and produce millions in annual property tax revenue to help fund local services in Nevada and Idaho.