Here’s the Latest on the Proposed Three Peaks to Purgatory Power Line

Residents Push Back on Rocky Mountain Power’s 54-Mile Southern Utah Transmission Line

A major transmission line proposed between Cedar City and Washington City is drawing growing concern from residents and local leaders in Southern Utah, particularly in Leeds, where another public meeting is scheduled tonight.

The Need for Increased Power Capacity

Rocky Mountain Power, through parent company PacifiCorp, is planning a 54-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line running from the Three Peaks Substation near Cedar City to the Purgatory Flat Substation in Washington. The utility says the project is needed to keep up with Southern Utah’s rapid growth, improve reliability and add about 1,000 megawatts of capacity to the regional power system.

Debate Over Route Selection

But much of the current debate is not about whether more infrastructure is needed. It is about where the line should go. Leeds Mayor Wayne Peterson has criticized the current preferred route, saying it would create an unreasonable burden on communities and private property. The preferred alignment would cross mostly private land, with the rest running primarily across federal property.

Local Leaders Voice Property and Community Concerns

Residents have raised concerns about property values, views, rural character, noise and the presence of large transmission structures near homes and businesses. Towers along the route could stand roughly 80 to 130 feet tall, with a right-of-way reaching up to 130 feet wide in some areas. Local leaders in Leeds, Toquerville and Hurricane have been working on an alternative route that they say could shift more of the project onto public land and farther away from established neighborhoods.

Navigating Environmental Challenges in Route Selection

Rocky Mountain Power says route selection is complicated by environmental concerns, wilderness areas, airstrips, desert tortoise habitat and other land-use restrictions. The company says it has not selected a final route. That is why tonight’s meeting in Leeds could be important for residents who want to weigh in.

Community Engagement: Upcoming Meetings

Rocky Mountain Power is scheduled to hold an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hurricane Valley Fire Station 47, 730 N. Main Street in Leeds. Another meeting is planned Thursday evening in Washington City, with a virtual meeting scheduled for Oct. 14.

Courtesy: Rocky Mountain Power

The project is still years away from construction. Permitting is expected to continue through 2030, with construction tentatively planned for 2031-2033.

For now, the line on the map is still just that — a proposal.

And Southern Utah residents are making it clear they want a say in where it eventually lands.