Economic aspects of the Pacific Northwest-Southwest Intertie

The Pacific Northwest-Southwest Intertie is the largest single electric transmission development project ever undertaken in the United States. It will connect directly or indirectly the major systems of the federal government and public and private electrical systems in 11 western states, promoting a maximum of electrical efficiency. The benefits to these areas of the United States, and to the rest of the nation, will be extensive: over a 50-year pay-out period the total estimated benefits amount to $2.6 billion, with a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.5 to 1.