Duke-American Buys Wyo.-Nev. Power Line Project

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A joint venture that's trying to develop a new electric transmission network has purchased one of the major transmission line projects planned in Wyoming.

Duke-American Transmission Co. announced Monday that it acquired the Zephyr project from a subsidiary of Wyoming-based Pathfinder Renewable Energy LLC. It said the project was worth about $3.5 billion.

The proposed Zephyr line would run 950 miles from eastern Wyoming to Nevada and would help deliver Wyoming wind power to California and the Southwest.

It's one of six major transmission lines that developers have proposed to export Wyoming wind power to markets hungry for renewable energy.

It will start near Chugwater, where Pathfinder is building a wind power project.

Duke-American is a joint venture of Duke Energy of Charlotte, N.C., and American Transmission Co. in Pewaukee, Wis.