CREZs Ease Texas Transmission Constraints

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Transmission lines face a "chicken or egg" type of dilemma. Do you build the transmission lines first and then the power facility, or vice versa? As the largest wind producer in the U.S., Texas is increasing its transmission capacity to transport power as new windfarms are constructed. For additional information, see January 20, 2012, article - ERCOT: $8.7 Billion in Power Transmission Projects Planned in Next Five Years.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) (Austin, Texas) has identified and assigned $5 billion for the construction of Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ), which will be constructed by seven transmission and distribution utilities.

The seven utilities are:

• Oncor Electric (Dallas, Texas)
• Electric Transmission Texas (Austin)
• Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Service Corporation (Austin)
• Lone Star Transmission LLC (Austin)
• Sharyland Utilities (Dallas)
• Southwestern Public Service Company (Amarillo, Texas)
• Cross Texas Transmission (Amarillo)

Oncor Electric won the largest portion of the CREZ lines, and several of the company's projects are under construction. It doesn't hurt that Oncor has exclusive relationships with vendors, contractors and suppliers. Chapman Construction (McKinney, Texas) is building several lines, including the Riley-Krum West Transmission Line, a 135- to 150-mile, 345-kilovot line going from Vernon, Texas to Krum, Texas; the 40-mile Bell County East-TNP One line, running from Temple to Hammond, Texas; and the Oklaunion-Bowman line, which goes to Riley, Oklahoma.

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