Power Carriers Plan for More Transmission Lines
Published Sep 15, 2008
Power lines connect dots to the grid.
With wind, coal, gas and hybrid energy coming online, and more in the works, power carriers throughout The High Ground are finalizing plans to increase their transmission capacity.
No fewer than four major transmission projects are slated for the next five years along Xcel Energy’s lines. “We’ll be upgrading several transmission and substation segments in the Texas North project, which will increase reliability and reduce congestion,” says Dale Williams, director of community service and economic development. “That one will involve about 213 miles of transmission upgrades.
“The second will be the Seminole Interchange, which will be to accommodate the new generator station Lee Power is building in Hobbs (N.M.). That project also will provide additional transmission capacity to connect with Golden Spread Electric Cooperative’s Mustang Station.”
Xcel’s other projects include a 35-mile, 230-kilovolt line in the Seven Rivers-Pecos-Potash area, and the State Line Grave project, which will be a new interchange near the border with Oklahoma.
The upgrades and expansions are good news for Golden Spread, which is working with the power producers and others to help plan the area’s future transmission and power grid, says Bob Bryant, president and general manager.
“There’s so much transmission that needs to be built,” Bryant says. “For example, there is more wind generation and more planned than can flow out of the west ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) zone. The same situation exists in other areas, and we’re going to need more transmission if we’re going to maintain reliability and be able to harvest the wind potential in these areas.”
In July 2008, Texas state officials gave preliminary approval to a $4.9 billion wind-power project that would add a massive system of transmission lines to help move electricity generated along the windy patches of West Texas to power-hungry metropolitan areas such as Austin. If the plan wins final approval, it will be the country’s largest investment in clean and renewable power.
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Brian McCord
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