Black Hills Energy celebrates 260-mile Wyoming transmission line expansion

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Local government officials, business leaders and energy company representatives gathered Wednesday at Laramie County Community College to celebrate the completion of a project more than 15 years in the making — Black Hills Energy’s Ready Wyoming transmission expansion.

The project, which is an independent transmission system loop, took two years of construction. It connects Black Hills’ electric systems in Wyoming to the company’s electric systems in South Dakota, and covers 260 miles across five counties.

The line was a $350 million investment, and includes three 230 kilovolt (KV) lines, two 115 KV lines and multiple substations.

The transmission system became completely operational Dec. 29.

Black Hills Chief Utility Officer Marne Jones said the project came to be after a meeting was held in 2011 to discuss ways to ensure the energy future of Wyoming.

“That early exploration laid the foundation for everything that followed,” Jones said. “Years of system studies, system needs, modeling growth, engaging our regulators, our landowners, and refining the strategy that ultimately became Ready Wyoming.”

To complete the expansion, construction workers had to spend nights, weekends and holidays working.

Brian Weber, Black Hills vice president of utility services and transmission strategy, said there are more than 3,600 poles spanning the 260 miles, which required days of truck material shipments.

“Transmission line work is not an easy job to get into,” Weber said. “It requires sacrifice, requires travel, time away with your family, long hours, working Thanksgiving, the holidays. So (I want to) make sure I relay my thanks to those that were working in the field.”

However, even with the long hours, dangerous work and more than 225 workers on the job, Weber said there were no serious injuries or fatalities during construction.

This story was published on March 12, 2026.