Black Hills Energy completes 260-mile Ready Wyoming electric transmission expansion project
Courtesy photo
- Supports Wyoming’s growing energy needs
- Provides long-term price stability and value for customers
- Expands access to power markets and renewable energy resources
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Jan. 8, – Black Hills Energy today announced the completion of its 260-mile Ready Wyoming electric transmission expansion project. Now fully operational, Ready Wyoming will serve as the vital link to delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective energy to customers.
The approximately $350 million project includes one new substation, two replacement substations, four expanded substations, three new 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines, and two new 115kV transmission lines. Ready Wyoming establishes an independent transmission system for Black Hills Energy and materially reduces third-party transmission expenses.
“With Ready Wyoming, we are powering the future with safe, reliable and cost-effective energy for our customers,” said Wes Ashton, vice president of Wyoming and South Dakota Utilities. “Our customers depend on us to deliver the energy they need to power their homes and businesses. Critical to this process is the transmission system and its vast network of powerlines and substations.”
Ready Wyoming connects the company’s electric systems in Wyoming and South Dakota, providing expanded access to power markets and renewable energy resources.
“By expanding the region’s transmission capacity, we are well-positioned to deliver long-term price stability and value for our customers,” said Ashton.
Construction began in 2023 and concluded in late 2025. In a 2022 study completed by the University of Wyoming Center for Economic and Business Analysis, the economic impact of the Ready Wyoming project is estimated as follows:
- 1,367 construction jobs
- Over $100 million value added during construction
- Over $8 million in state and local tax revenue attributed to construction expenses
- Approximately $570,000 annually to Wyoming’s regional economy
- More than $76,000 in annual state and local tax revenue
More information about Ready Wyoming is available at blackhillsenergy.com/ready-wyoming.