Arizona approves APS 500-KV power line to Yuma

LOS ANGELES, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The Arizona Corporation Commission on Tuesday approved a $250-million, 110-mile high-voltage power line to Yuma, Arizona, to serve the fast-growing area, said the line's developer, Arizona Public Service.

The transmission line is to run from the area of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to Yuma.

Yuma, in the southwestern part of the state near the borders of California and Mexico, is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. Existing transmission lines will soon be overloaded, said APS spokeswoman Betty Dayyo.

The new 500-kilovolt line is to be in operation by 2012.

It will take about two years to acquire the needed rights of way and two more years for construction, said APS.

APS is the primary unit of Pinnacle Capital Corp (PNW.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). Both APS and Pinnacle West are based in Phoenix.

The power lines are to be held by steel towers as tall as 150 feet (46 meters) and to primarily parallel the existing Southwest Powerlink transmission lines. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Christian Wiessner)