Electric Transmission Texas

Rio Grande Valley Transmission line

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Board of Directors today endorsed and deemed "critical to reliability" a 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission project proposed by Electric Transmission Texas LLC (ETT) from the Laredo area into the Lower Rio Grande Valley. ETT is a joint venture between subsidiaries of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company.

ETT’s proposed transmission project includes construction of approximately 163 miles of 345-kV transmission lines that will connect ETT’s Lobo Substation near Laredo with substations north of Edinburg. The cost of the project is estimated at approximately $300 million. The ERCOT board recommendation also endorsed the need for AEP Texas to reconductor two existing 345-kv lines and upgrade substation facilities at an additional anticipated cost of $225 million.

"The endorsement from the ERCOT board clearly establishes the need for this transmission project and paves the way for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) application from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT)," said ETT President Calvin Crowder. "Currently, there are only two 345-kV transmission lines serving the Valley. Both of the existing lines import power from the Corpus Christi area and run parallel to the Gulf Coast, which means both are vulnerable to hurricanes and other severe weather. The import capacity of these lines is limited, and the ability to schedule maintenance often can be a problem."

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