SAN DIEGO -- Several Western electric utilities are backing an effort to build high-voltage power lines from Wyoming to California, promising to pay for and conduct the feasibility and engineering studies.

The Frontier Line project -- first proposed a year ago by the governors of Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California -- would enable Rocky Mountain states to add thousands of new megawatts of electrical generation from vast coal and wind, solar and geothermal resources.

At a press conference here Monday, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal said the commitment from the Western utilities now allows the project to move into the next phase of development. But he cautioned that the states need to remain involved because such a large undertaking will require continued cooperation for years to come.

"This is a far-reaching project," Freudenthal said, adding that connecting Wyoming's energy resources to California benefits Western states and the entire national economy.

California has suffered under the strain of a tight power market that resulted in rolling brownouts in 2000 and 2001. With the development of new electrical generation and transmission lagging behind growth in demand, California is reaching out in hopes of easing high energy costs for consumers here.

At the same time, Wyoming has sought to expand its coal industry beyond simple mining and export of the raw resource to more technical refining processes in state.

The Frontier Line project, which is estimated to cost $5 billion to $7 billion and could be in service as soon as 2012, has drawn interest from Arizona, New Mexico and Montana as well.

"This will be seen as both bold and very necessary in moving forward in the West," said Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. "I think it's going to usher in a new generation of clean coal technology."

David Sokol, chairman and chief executive of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., echoed Freudenthal's plea for long-term commitment, not only for the Frontier Line, but for cooperative efforts to bolster improvements throughout the entire Western grid.

Chris Houston, owner of Auto Glass & Supply in the center of San Diego, is one of those Californians who has already given up hope that energy will ever be affordable in California.

"This place will never have enough power. It's like a black hole," said Houston, as he wiped his hands clean with a shop towel Monday.

Houston said the rolling brownouts of 2001 left many Californians sour to promises of a better energy prices.

"Nothing ever goes down. The best I can hope for is if it stays the same," Houston said.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 682-3388 or dustin.bleizeffer@casperstartribune.net.