Ironwood 500 kV Transmission Line Gains FAST-41 Coverage to Strengthen the Western Grid
Contact Information
Permitting Council Press Office (media@permitting.gov)
WASHINGTON (October 13, 2026) – The Ironwood 500 kV Transmission Line Project, an approximately 86-mile line that would run between Arizona and California, has received FAST-41 coverage. Once permitted, the project will strengthen the regional grid and move more power to homes and businesses in communities across the western United States.
"Generation alone doesn't keep the lights on. We need transmission to deliver affordable and reliable power to families and businesses," said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director. "We’re excited to work with Horizon West Transmission and the Bureau of Land Management to deliver a timely, transparent, and predictable permitting process that helps get this line built without delay."
The Ironwood 500kV Transmission Line Project is a proposed approximately 86-mile, 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line extending between Arizona Public Service Company's North Gila Substation near Yuma, Arizona, and San Diego Gas & Electric's Imperial Valley Substation near El Centro, California. Once operational, the project will increase regional transmission capacity and improve electric system reliability.
The project responds to the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) determination that a second 500 kV circuit between California and Arizona is needed to remedy several existing problems within the regional grid and to support new development in the local area.
“FAST-41 coverage provides an important framework for coordination, transparency and accountability as the Ironwood Transmission Line moves through the federal permitting process,” said Jaime Hoffman, President, Horizon West Transmission. “Ironwood is a major infrastructure investment that will reinforce the regional electric grid and increase transmission capacity so homes and businesses can have more access to reliable, affordable energy. We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with the Permitting Council, Bureau of Land Management, California Public Utilities Commission, Tribal Nations and local communities throughout the environmental review and permitting process.”
Horizon West Transmission is the project sponsor for the Ironwood 500 kV Transmission Line Project. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, is the lead federal permitting agency. Learn more about the Ironwood 500 kV Transmission Line Project on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
About the Permitting Council and FAST-41
Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.
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Last Updated: Tuesday, October 13, 2026