Claremore Company Helps Bring Wind Power to Tennessee

A decision could come any day now on whether to approve a 700-mile long power line project that would bring Oklahoma's wind energy to the Tennessee Valley.

If the federal government approves it, several Oklahoma companies could get millions of dollars and create hundreds of jobs.

One company in Claremore already is tasked with making the power poles.

The Pelco company president said his workforce would almost double as they ramp up production to build more than 3,500 poles to carry the power.

“We're very proud Pelco as well as Northeastern Oklahoma can be part of something that is so important right now and that's infrastructure, electrical infrastructure development here across the United States," Phil Albert said.

Clean Line Energy is trying to bring wind power from the panhandle to Tennessee, and Pelco is tasked with making more than 3,500 of its poles.

"It will be bustling,” Albert said. “We're busy now, but we'll even be busier."

Clean Line Energy says it hopes to invest a billion dollars in the state and create a thousand jobs for the transmission project.

To get there, they have to make sure the proposed transmission line path gets the green light.

"I think that very soon, we'll get decision on the preferred route for the project that will be the culmination of about three and a half years of reviews and public meetings and lots of work to figure out what is the best route for the project and how can the project best move forward," Mario Hurtado said.

If the project gets approved, Pelco could almost double its workforce and would see more shipments of steel coming through the Port of Catoosa.