Proposed power line generating unrest in Pueblo West

A stand-off is brewing in Pueblo West as Black Hills Energy and local residents debate over a new energy source for the area.

Black Hills Energy is pushing for a new 40-mile, 155-kilovolt transmission line connecting the city with Cañon City.

The project would also include a substation in Pueblo West near the Walmart. They are calling that area of the project ‘Industrial Park.’

“Pueblo west needs additional sources of power in order to continue to grow economically,” said Seth Boutilier, the Black Hills Energy project manager in charge of the transmission line.

Boutilier says if the town wants to attract further business they need a more secure source of energy.

Eighteen miles of the proposed power-line would run in Pueblo County while the remaining miles are located in Fremont County. The issue facing Black Hills Energy is that many Pueblo West homeowners aren’t too excited with the proposed project.

They say the transmission line will block their view of the mountain range, a view they consider to be a large part of Pueblo West’s charm.

“How do you replace a million dollar view?,” asks Pueblo West resident Randy Ackerman. Ackerman’s back porch sits just yards away from where the proposed line would run.

“Once you destroy that view it is gone forever,” said Ackerman.

Ackerman, as well as a large contingent of other Pueblo West residents, were present at last August’s Pueblo County Commissioner meeting where they voiced their dissent to the transmission line.

Another concern for Ackerman is if the lines go up, his home’s price tags will certainly go down.

“If someone drives by and they look up, and see an 80-foot transmission line behind my house off into the distance, they are going to ask their real estate agent: ‘What else do you have?'”, said Ackerman.

Boutilier says they have worked on the many possible routes for the line with the Pueblo West Metro Board and this was the best case scenario.

“We’ve done what we consider to be the best route. That affects the fewest number of customers directly,” said Boutilier. “It does have to go somewhere.”

Ackerman says he doesn’t believe Pueblo West isn’t in need of more energy options. He says the growth in the area is being exaggerated.

As to affecting the lowest number of people in the area, Ackerman says that’s not possible.

“It does affect everything out here because it affects the fields and the views that people live out here for,” said Ackerman. “So really, it affects all of Pueblo West, all 35,000 people.”

Pueblo County Commissioners will vote on whether to allow the construction of this project on October 10th of this year.

When asked if the Pueblo West marijuana business had anything to do with the need for more energy, Black Hills Energy couldn’t identify a specific source or business that may be requiring more energy.