At the same time, agencies within the Obama administration are weighing their final decision on the TransWest Express transmission project, backed by the billionaire Philip Anschutz, which would carry 3GW of wind power from Wyoming to markets in Arizona, California and Nevada.

The government’s decisions on those two projects – to be made separately – could set the tone for major transmission projects across the US in the coming years, says Clean Line president Michael Skelly.

Such