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The Bonneville Power Administration is tentatively set to begin construction Sept. 19 on a 28-mile transmission line. The line will run from the Big Eddy Substation near The Dalles to a new substation four miles northwest of Goldendale, Wash.

The project is within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, so the plans have gone through extensive public review, beginning in June 2009. The final plans are the result of hundreds of comments that assessed the impacts of three proposed routes.

BPA claims that the 500-kilovolt line will provide up to 100 construction jobs, including local electricians, carpenters, welders and other Oregon trades workers. The project will cost approximately $185 million and is financed in part with borrowing authority included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The U.S. Forest Service will conduct a consistency review of the final plans, and construction will begin after contract terms and other permits and approvals are granted.