Electric transmission lines also are provided thanks to the dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Further, an interconnecting trunk line that turns south at The Dalles and is capable of delivering energy to lucrative California markets is not far away. That interchange is harder to get to for power plants on the west side of the Cascades, where highly-populated areas tend to suck up most of the energy that transmission lines there can carry. And while there's plenty of access to gas and electric transmission lines in Central Oregon, there also is little in the way of power plant development. That's because there's no water, King said.
Water is needed to run power plant cooling systems.
Finally, federal air quality standards make it difficult to put large generators along the Interstate 5 corridor. There's much more room on the east side of the Cascades for gas plants and their ozone-depleting emissions. That's why the biggest projects are being planned here, King said. Though there are a flock of plants proposed for Western Washington, none south of the border town of Sumas would produce much more than 530 megawatts. On the east side, you see these giants.