Westar Energy, Inc. has announced it and Electric Transmission America (ETA) have formed Prairie Wind Transmission, LLC, a joint venture company that plans to construct ultra-high capacity electric transmission facilities in Kansas, USA.

Westar Energy and ETA will have equal ownership shares in Prairie Wind Transmission. ETA is a joint venture between AEP Transmission Holding Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP) and MEHC America Transco, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. Prairie Wind Transmission is proposing to build approximately 230 miles of 765 kilovolt (kV) transmission facilities extending from the Wichita area west to the Dodge City area and then south-southwest to the Kansas border from Medicine Lodge. Following the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, including approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission, these facilities are expected to be in service by the end of 2013.