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Commissioners discuss biomass, data centers and transmission lines as part of economic strategy
Summary
Commissioners and staff discussed a potential informational visit about biomass, the role of power and water in attracting data centers, and transmission-line corridors as priorities if Harney County seeks industry growth; no formal action was taken.
Commission members discussed exploratory steps for economic development focused on biomass, data centers and regional transmission lines, and invited a short informational site visit.
Speaker 1 said they had spoken with a city manager about biomass possibilities, forest-management jobs and electrical resiliency and invited any commissioners to join an informational trip. "Before you do anything with that, you gotta have the power," Speaker 1 said when discussing prerequisites for attracting industry. Participants discussed prior transmission-route proposals (including a proposed route along Highway 395) and agreed the county must understand generation and transmission capacity before pursuing large users.
Speakers suggested engaging technical partners (OTEC, Kearney Electric) to assess local transmission and generation capacity and urged ensuring any new generation prioritizes local consumption before export. No formal motion was taken; the item was informational and will be followed up with reports and possible outreach to utility partners.
