Relief is in sight for one notorious electric-transmission bottleneck. Steel-lattice towers and poles are rising this month in rugged, remote terrain for a $306-million expansion of Path 15 in central California.

When energized this fall, a new 500-kv line will increase Path 15’s capacity from 3,900 Mw to 5,400 Mw, expediting electricity transfers along an 84-mile stretch where three lines now narrow to two. The upgrade is led by an innovative public-private partnership of Trans-Elect Inc., Reston, Va., which is providing most of the financing; Pacific Gas & Electric Inc., a San Francisco-based utility; and the Western Area Power Administration, a Salt Lake City-based U.S. Dept. of Energy agency (ENR 9/29/03 p. 17).