Airtricity, TX Giant transmission loop would connect energy sources to the state's main grid.
Hydrogen FREEDOM
archiving, on the Panhandle Loop power transmission project in North
Texas.
Key points:
* 800-mile, $1.5 billion electric transmission project has been
proposed
* Besides Airtricity, partners include investment firm Babcock & Brown
Renewable Holdings Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures Corp. and chemical
giant Celanese Corp.Sharyland, controlled by the Hunt family of
Dallas, is a privately owned transmission and distribution electric
utility based in McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley.
* loop could connect up to 8,000 megawatts of power into the ERCOT
grid. The tentative mix, the companies said, is 4,200 megawatts of
wind - enough to power 1 million homes - 2,000 megawatts of gas-fired
generation and 1,800 megawatts from coal.
* On a high-usage day, Wood said, the loop could put about 5,500
megawatts into the ERCOT grid, or about 10 percent of the amount of
power currently used within the grid.
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/02/16/16power.html
Panhandle power project proposed
Giant transmission loop would connect energy sources to the state's
main grid.
By Robert Elder
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, February 16, 2007
An 800-mile, $1.5 billion electric transmission project has been
proposed for the Texas Panhandle, part of an effort to ship more power
- wind, but also coal and natural gas-generated electricity - to the
state's population centers.
A coalition led by Sharyland Utilities LP filed a proposal with state
regulators Thursday to build a three-line transmission loop that would
weave around a vast stretch of the Panhandle, including Amarillo and
Lubbock, and connect to the state's main power grid.
The sale of wind-generated electricity has been constrained in Texas
because of a lack of transmission lines from sparsely populated West
Texas and the Panhandle, where the bulk of the state's wind power is
produced. The Panhandle, for instance, is outside the grid run by the
Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which delivers about 85 percent
of Texas' overall power usage.
The transmission project will allow power generated in the Panhandle
to more easily flow into the ERCOT grid.
Utilities can "take advantage of this new highway to the Panhandle" to
secure more power for their customers, said Patrick Wood III, an
adviser to Irish wind power concern Airtricity Inc., a member of the
coalition. "Our thought is that this project is long overdue."
Wood is a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
and of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
The Legislature passed a bill in 2005 requiring that the commission
designate zones and accompanying transmission projects to boost the
flow of renewable power into more populated areas.
The coalition's filing came on the deadline day for parties to
recommend competitive renewable energy zones to the PUC. The agency is
scheduled to design the zones, and the transmission projects needed,
by July 5.
Based on rules it adopted last year, the commission can expedite the
hearings needed to issue a permit for transmission projects from the
zones.
The Sharyland coalition's filing went beyond recommending zones to
include plans for the transmission loop, which it said could be
completed by the end of 2010. Besides Airtricity, partners include
investment firm Babcock & Brown Renewable Holdings Inc., Occidental
Energy Ventures Corp. and chemical giant Celanese Corp.
Sharyland, controlled by the Hunt family of Dallas, is a privately
owned transmission and distribution electric utility based in McAllen
in the Rio Grande Valley.
The coalition said its loop could connect up to 8,000 megawatts of
power into the ERCOT grid. The tentative mix, the companies said, is
4,200 megawatts of wind - enough to power 1 million homes - 2,000
megawatts of gas-fired generation and 1,800 megawatts from coal.
On a high-usage day, Wood said, the loop could put about 5,500
megawatts into the ERCOT grid, or about 10 percent of the amount of
power currently used within the grid.
The mix of wind and polluting fuels such as natural gas and especially
coal could be "a good template for the future," Wood said.
"We know we have to build and expand" our power supplies, he said.
"But it would be nice to know if every kilowatt-hour of coal and gas
were offset by wind," which generates no emissions.
Know Hydrogen TRUTH Info
archiving, on the Panhandle Loop power transmission project in North
Texas.
Supplemental data for archiving...
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070215/dath032.html?.v=83
Sharyland Utilities Files 'Panhandle Loop' Proposal; Seeks to Build
800-Mile 345kV Electric Transmission Loop; Potential Wind Could Power
Over 1 Million Homes Annually in Texas
Thursday February 15, 3:22 pm ET
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
announced today that it has filed a proposal with the Public Utility
Commission of Texas (PUCT) to build an 800-mile 345kV electric
transmission loop throughout the Texas Panhandle. Known as the
"Panhandle Loop", this project is intended to connect up to 8,000
megawatts (MW) of wind, natural gas, and coal-fired generation into
the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electric market.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Panhandle Loop is supported by a group of five unique and diverse
companies in the energy and chemical industries: Airtricity, Inc.;
Babcock & Brown Renewable Holdings Inc; Celanese, Ltd.; Occidental
Energy Ventures Corp.; and Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
"Quite simply, this proposal will bring the ERCOT grid to the
Panhandle. That way, the entire state can enjoy the benefits of the
tremendous wind resources located there, as well as the substantial
gas and coal resources," said Hunter Hunt, President of Sharyland
Utilities, L.P. "Once this project is approved by the PUCT, Sharyland
Utilities is committed to moving forward expeditiously with a goal of
project completion as early as late 2010."
Preliminary planning has assumed approximately 4,200 MW of wind power,
2,000 MW of gas-fired power, and 1,800 MW of coal-fired power in the
region. By interconnecting such a diverse mixture of fuel sources, the
Panhandle Loop brings the environmental benefits of wind power to the
ERCOT market, coupled with the constant power availability provided by
coal and natural gas generation. This combination of wind, coal, and
gas generation ensures that a greater amount of electric power is
constantly flowing along the power lines, thus resulting in a more
efficient and cost-effective transmission system.
The Panhandle Loop will be open access, meaning any generator --
whether it is wind, coal, natural gas, or any other source -- is
welcome to use the Panhandle Loop to access the ERCOT power market,
provided it is approved under ERCOT's interconnection procedures. This
will enable the potential development of more than $10 billion in new
generation projects in the Panhandle, which will spur economic
development through capital investments, increased tax bases, and
permanent jobs once facilities are built.
As the name implies, the Panhandle Loop will be a "looped"
transmission system, with three interconnected transmission lines
extending from three separate points in the existing ERCOT grid. The
benefits of using a looped system, rather than a single radial line
that simply connects two points, is that a looped system is inherently
more reliable. If one line should go down, the remaining two lines
will ensure that power still flows throughout the region.
"Texas needs more power, and the sooner, the better," said Pat Wood,
Chairman of Airtricity's North American Advisory Board and former
chairman of both the PUCT and the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. "The potential wind tapped by this project could power
over 1 million homes annually in Texas. By bringing together natural
gas and coal-fired plants with abundant Panhandle wind power as early
as 2010, Sharyland's cost-effective and reliable Panhandle Loop will
benefit the entire state."
Sharyland Utilities filed this proposal in PUCT Docket No. 33672, a
proceeding to designate Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ). In
its CREZ proceeding, the PUCT is expected to designate power regions
for transmission development by July 5, 2007. If the Panhandle Loop
proposal is approved, Sharyland Utilities will immediately begin the
steps necessary to construct the transmission facilities as
expeditiously as possible with the goal of project completion by late
2010. The cost of the project is expected to be approximately $1.5
billion, based on preliminary cost estimates.
Background Information
About Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
Sharyland Utilities, L.P. is a privately-owned, Texas-based
transmission and distribution electric utility committed to providing
quality customer service, safe and reliable electric delivery, and
increased investment in the electric grid of Texas. It is a pure
"wires only" company that has been operating in South Texas in the
cities of Mission and McAllen for the past seven years and has no
interests or affiliations with Retail Electric Providers (REPs) or
electric generation in Texas. Sharyland Utilities has a proven record
of bringing innovative solutions to the ratepayers of Texas, including
its underground and looped distribution system, automated metering,
and time-of-use tariffs. Sharyland Utilities is also currently
constructing a 150 MW High Voltage Direct Current Interconnection (DC
tie) between the ERCOT grid of Texas and the Comision Federal de
Electricidad grid of Mexico, which will allow for the first commercial
bidirectional electricity trade between the U.S. and Mexico. The
Panhandle Loop will allow Sharyland Utilities to expand its
transmission activities beyond South Texas. Sharyland Utilities is
owned by Hunter L. Hunt and other members of his family and managed by
Hunter L. Hunt.
Press Contact for Sharyland Utilities: Jeanne Phillips 214-978-8535
About Airtricity, Inc.
Airtricity, an international wind power company, has been developing
wind projects in the Texas market since 2004 and is currently
completing construction of projects totaling over 200 MW. By the end
of 2007, Airtricity plans to more than double that total with well
over 500 MW in operational wind farms in Texas. The company is also an
active developer in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the
Northeastern U.S., and is a leader in offshore wind technology in
Europe. Airtricity sees the Texas Panhandle resources as some of the
best in the U.S., due to their high quality and their location
relative to customer markets. Airtricity is also a retail electricity
provider in its home Irish market.
Press Contact for Airtricity: Pat Wood 214-978-8535
About Babcock & Brown Renewable Holdings Inc
Babcock & Brown is a global investment and advisory firm with
longstanding capabilities in structured finance and the creation,
syndication and management of asset and cash flow-based investments.
Babcock & Brown was founded in 1977 and is listed on the Australian
Stock Exchange. Babcock & Brown is traded on the Australian stock
exchange, with a market capitalization in excess of $5 billion, and
assets under management of $24 billion at June 30, 2006. Babcock &
Brown focuses on infrastructure and asset intensive businesses such as
wind energy, fossil generation and electric transmission, and views
the Texas Panhandle as a prime wind energy development opportunity due
to its world-class wind resource. Babcock & Brown commissioned its
first wind turbines in Texas in 2003, and will have almost 600 MW on
line in Texas by the end of this year.
Press Contact for Babcock & Brown: Kathy Alderfer 415-267-1532
About Celanese, Ltd.
As a global leader in the chemicals industry, Celanese Corporation
makes products essential to everyday living. Our products, found in
consumer and industrial applications, are manufactured in North
America, Europe and Asia. Net sales totaled $6.7 billion in 2006, with
over 60% generated outside of North America. Known for operational
excellence and execution of its business strategies, Celanese delivers
value to customers around the globe with innovations and best-in-class
technologies. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company employs
approximately 8,900 employees worldwide. Celanese is considering
electricity generation as one of the strategic alternatives for its
site in Pampa, Texas.
Press Contact for Celanese: Jeremy Neuhart 972-443-3750
About Occidental Energy Ventures Corp.
Occidental Energy Ventures Corp. (OEVC) is a subsidiary of Occidental
Petroleum Corporation. OEVC's power projects generate more than 2,000
MW of electricity. OEVC also coordinates energy supplies for all of
Occidental's Texas oil and gas and chemical operations. Occidental
Petroleum Corporation is one of the world's largest independent oil
and natural gas exploration and production companies and a leading
North American chemical manufacturer. Visit http://www.oxy.com
Press Contact for OEVC: Jan Sieving 310-443-6504
Panhandle Loop Quick Facts
* Panhandle Loop is a proposed 800-mile looped 345kV electric
transmission system located throughout Texas Panhandle.
* Panhandle Loop is intended to connect up to 8,000 megawatts
(MW) of
wind, natural gas, and coal-fired generation into the Electric
Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electric market.
-- Approximately 4,200 MW of potential wind generation (enough
to
power over 1 million homes annually in Texas).
-- Approximately 2,000 MW of potential gas-fired generation.
-- Approximately 1,800 MW of potential coal-fired generation.
* Benefits of Panhandle Loop include:
-- Loop's proposed fuel diversity brings environmental
benefits of
wind to ERCOT market, coupled with constant power
availability
provided by coal and gas, which results in a more efficient
and
cost-effective system. This ensures a more efficient and
cost-
effective system.
-- Loop will be open access, meaning any generator is welcome
to
access ERCOT power market, provided they are approved under
ERCOT's
interconnection procedures. This will enable the potential
development of more than $10 billion in new potential
generation
projects, which will spur economic development through
capital
investments, increased tax bases, and permanent jobs once
facilities are built.
-- As name implies, Loop will be a "looped" transmission
system, with
three interconnected transmission lines extending from
three
separate points in the existing ERCOT grid. This is
inherently
more reliable because if one line should go down, the
remaining two
lines will ensure that power still flows throughout the
region.
* Panhandle Loop supported by:
-- Airtricity, Inc.
-- Babcock & Brown Renewable Holdings Inc.
-- Celanese, Ltd.
-- Occidental Energy Ventures Corp.
-- Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
* PUCT is expected to make CREZ designation by July 5, 2007.
* Goal of project completion by late 2010.
* Cost: Approximately $1.5 billion, according to preliminary
cost
estimates
Source: Sharyland Utilities, L.P.