Proposed Uvalde-Castroville Project
AUSTIN, TEXAS, July 10, 2009 -- Electric Transmission Texas LLC (ETT) has filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), requesting a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) to build a new 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Uvalde to Castroville.
The proposed line is part of an $83 million transmission line improvement project that will be built by ETT and City Public Service Energy (CPS Energy). ETT proposes to build and own up to an 80-mile portion of the line from Uvalde to a location just north of Castroville. CPS Energy proposes to construct and own a 4.5-mile portion of the line within its retail electric service area in the Castroville area.
This project was recommended by the board of directors of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the independent system operator for most of Texas. The purpose of the transmission line upgrade is to improve reliability by relieving potential for overload and under-voltage problems of the existing transmission system in the area. The project also would increase the power transfer capability in the region.
"The demand for electricity in the region west-southwest of San Antonio is growing rapidly," said Calvin Crowder, president of ETT. "This demand for energy will soon exceed the design of the existing electric transmission system. The new line is an important step toward maintaining reliable electric service and in reducing the potential for a loss of electric service."
The CCN application envisions PUCT approval by the summer of 2010 with the line going into service by the summer of 2012. Funding for the project will be shared by all electric consumers within ERCOT through a surcharge collected by retail electric providers, in the same manner all other transmission upgrades are funded in ERCOT.
The ETT filing proposes one preferred route and eight alternative routes for its portion of the project. ETT advocates the preferred route for the following reasons:
- The majority of the route uses compatible rights-of-way and existing transmission rights-of-way.
- The route is the shortest and most environmentally-friendly.
- The route is less costly to customers.
If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact us.
- Questions and Answers Regarding the Uvalde to Castroville Transmission Line Improvement Project (PDF)
- Facts About the Proposed Uvalde to Castroville Transmission Line Improvement Project (PDF)
Overview Maps
Maps showing the preferred route and the eight alternative routes are featured in the separate PDF files below. (Note: These routes were chosen from the original set of routes identified as possibilities for the project, which is the reason the route name in some cases is a number larger than nine.)- Preferred Route 17 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 7 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 10 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 11 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 16 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 18 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 19 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 20 (PDF)
- Alternative Route 22 (PDF)