Xcel Energy’s $1.7 billion Power Pathway Project officially kicked off Wednesday with a groundbreaking ceremony set in the unusually-green Colorado prairie about nine miles southeast of Fort Morgan.

Xcel is starting the project there with construction of the Canal Crossing electrical substation — the first of at least four new substations along the 550 miles of new 345-kilovolt transmission lines.

Officials of Xcel Energy, Quantas Services, the construction contractor, local officials including Morgan and Washington County Commissioners as well as guests and members of the press attended the event hosted by Xcel.

Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy Colorado, capped off presentations by Xcel and Quantas’ staff.

“We’re very proud here today that we serve our Colorado customers with electricity that is 42% carbon free and we’ve reduced our carbon emissions by 51%, putting us well on the way toward exceeding the state carbon reduction goals,” Kenney said. “Existing transmission on the eastern plains is nearly full and the addition of this additional transmission capacity is needed so that we can add more renewable energy to the grid.

“The pathway will provide our high voltage backbone transmission and it will allow us to connect and unlock over 5,000 megawatts of new renewable energy produced right here in the eastern Colorado.”

Xcel has already received an “unprecedented” nearly 1,100 bids for new energy generation and storage, he said.

The proposed projects span the state with a concentration of those proposals located along Colorado’s power pathway transmission corridor.

The project will create jobs, lease payments for landowners, and significant property tax investment associated with the new energy infrastructure, Kenney said. The project construction will require substantial amounts of contract labor, providing good-paying jobs, opportunities and indirect economic stimulus for the host communities.

Sydney Wilson, vice president of commercial operations at Quantas Services told the Denver Gazette that the Denver-based company — which provides infrastructure services for electric power, pipeline, industrial and communications industries — will be recruiting workers and offering training for young people as the project moves forward. It could create a new generation of highly-paid workers for the future of carbon-free energy in Colorado.

Plans call for the project to be completed in 2027.