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Cascade Renewable files site certification application for buried HVDC line in Columbia River
Summary
Cascade Renewable Transmission LLC submitted a site certification application to FSEC for a proposed buried HVDC transmission line in the Columbia River that would carry about 1,100 MW from east‑of‑Cascades resources toward the Portland area and require coordination with Oregon and federal agencies.
Cascade Renewable Transmission LLC filed a formal application for site certification with the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on Oct. 6 and staff briefed the council on the application Oct. 15.
FSEC staff said the high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) project would run in the Columbia River bed from near The Dalles, Oregon, west toward the Portland area, then reenter the river and proceed to a converter station and interconnect at Portland General Electric’s Harbison substation. The Washington portion would exit and reenter the river near Stevenson and primarily follow State Route 14 for approximately seven miles of upland trenching in Skamania County; the in‑river sections would be buried roughly 10 feet below riverbed sediments.
The applicant described installation methods used on comparable projects, including directional drilling to pass under the Bonneville Dam and a hydroplow method to create a narrow trench in the river sediment while laying the cable bundle. The applicant said the facility would carry approximately 1,100 megawatts of energy from resources east of the Cascades to load centers west of the Cascades.
Project proponents told the council they have filed Army Corps permits (Section 404 and 408), are coordinating with Oregon’s energy siting council and with federal and tribal partners, and plan public informational meetings and land‑use consistency hearings in the three affected Washington counties within 60 days as required. Staff said memoranda of understanding with Oregon are being finalized to coordinate environmental review.
The applicant said the buried, underwater approach minimizes visual impacts and that construction impacts in the river are temporary and limited due to the hydroplow installation method. The applicant also highlighted potential construction jobs, property tax benefits and workforce partnerships tied to the project.
FSEC staff said the application is under review for completeness and statutory compliance and that notices and meetings will be scheduled; staff and the applicant encouraged interested community members to watch FSEC’s notices for meeting dates and materials.
