Press Release - Transmission Siting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Assistant
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com

Local Landowners Involved With Transmission Siting Process

FLOYDADA, Texas, September 24, 2009 – Here in the Texas Panhandle landowners are excited about the approaching transmission build-out because it ultimately means more wind farms will come to the area, but what’s even more exciting is that Transmission Service Providers (TSP) building lines in the area are making sure that landowners are involved in the siting process.

Sharyland Utilities, a TSP chosen by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to build four collection stations and five transmission line segments which will cover 250-300 miles in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, recently held an open house at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center in Muncy, Texas. During the open house Sharyland representatives were available to answer questions, address concerns and take suggestions on potential routes for the transmission lines that are meant to bump up transmission capacity in order to harness the wind energy potential in the Texas Panhandle.

Bill Quattlebaum a landowner in Floyd County and board member for Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association (CPWEA), a non-profit landowner association looking to promote wind development in the area, attended the public meeting and was pleased with the interactions he had with Sharyland representatives.

“It seems to me, in all sincerity, that they are very conscientious and landowner friendly,” Quattlebaum noted. “They ask you two or three times if they can help you with anything and they are very knowledgeable. They act like their time is your time and that’s very admirable of them.”

The purpose of these public meetings is for Sharyland to be able to determine what would be the best route for a specific line segment. They will look at using or paralleling existing right-of-ways, while also taking landowner preferences into consideration. Sharyland plans to submit their preferred route as well as several alternative routes to the PUCT for review in the second quarter of 2010. The PUCT is expected to have an approved route by the third or fourth quarter of 2010 and if all goes as planned Sharyland will begin construction of their lines in the first or second quarter of 2011.

The 345kV transmission lines that are going to be built will require a right-of-way that is 175 feet wide. For the most part, the lines will be on steel lattice structures that will stand around 125 feet tall. Sharyland will purchase right-of-way easements from landowners. Fair market value for the easements will be determined by conducting a market study or appraisal of the land. While Sharyland Utilities has the power of eminent domain they are making all efforts possible in order to avoid an eminent domain situation.

Some concerns landowners may have is that having a transmission line on their land will prevent them from having wind turbines. A transmission line may affect the placement of turbines, as general practice calls for a buffer zone between transmission lines and turbines, but Sharyland is committed to working with landowners and wind developers to ensure a proper balance of land use.

Bill Quattlebaum seems excited about the potential that these transmission lines will bring to the area and he also seemed convinced that Sharyland is honestly working to build their lines along a path of least resistance, choosing routes which have the least landowner opposition.

“It’s a given that the transmission lines are coming, and the windmills will follow” Quattlebaum said. “Our vision at CPWEA, ‘windmills as far as the eye can see,’ is going to become a reality.”

You can find more information about the transmission line build-out and answers to frequently asked questions on Sharyland’s Web site (www.sharylandutilities.com).

CPWEA is a non-profit landowner association working to connect landowners with developers in the wind industry. CPWEA’s goal is to recruit wind development to the region and help revitalize rural communities. Go to www.caprockplainswind.com to find out more about the association.

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Terms You May Hear

Last night at Sharyland Utilities' public meeting held at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center in Muncy, Texas they had a handy little booklet full of all kinds of information available to attendees. I wanted to share the section "Terms You May Hear" because I understand that its a lot to keep up with all the stuff going on with the transmission build out and the wind industry. So, here is a little FYI:


CREZ = Competitive Renewable Energy Zone
Specific area of Texas determined by the PUCT to have superior wind resources, including the Texas Panhandle and South Plains.

PUCT = Public Utility Commission of Texas (www.puc.state.tx)
The Texas regulatory body responsible for protecting customers, fostering competition and promoting high quality infrastructure, including electric transmission lines. The PUCT maintains oversight over Sharyland and all regulated utilities in Texas.

ERCOT = Electric Reliability Council of Texas (www.ercot.com)
An independent agency, overseen by the PUCT, that manages the flow of electric power to 22 million Texas customers. ERCOT's system covers approximately 85% of the state's load and 75% of its land area.

SPP = Southwest Power Pool (www.spp.org)
An organization similar to ERCOT that oversees the planning and operation of an interstate transmission grid covering states including parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Most retail customers in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains are connected to the SPP grid.

FERC = Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (www.ferc.gov)
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates and oversees energy industries in the economic, environmental, and safety interests of the American public. They effectively perform the same function for the rest of U.S. as the PUCT does for Texas.

NERC = North American Electric Reliability Corporation (www.nerc.com)
NERC is a self-regulating organization, subject to oversight by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and governmental authorities in Canada. They ensure the reliability of the bulk electric system throughout North America by establishing and enforcing technical and operational requirements for all electric utilities.

TDSP = Transmission/Distribution Service Provider
Also referred to as a Transmission Service Provider ("TSP") or a Transmission Owner/Operator ("TO"), a TDSP owns and operates electric transmission lines in ERCOT. Some, like Sharyland, are fully regulated and must follow the guidelines of the PUCT, as well as ERCOT.

CCN = Certificate of Convenience and Necessity
A permit issued by the PUCT that authorizes a TDSP to build a specific transmission line along a defined route.

ROW = Right of Way
Written permission from a landowner to a TDSP that allows the TDSP to build and maintain a transmission line across the landowner's property.

345kV = 345 kilovots = 345,000 volts
This is the nominal voltage of the CREZ transmission lines. By comparison, the voltage supplied to most homes is 120/240 volts.

Collection Station
These are the endpoints to which the 345kV CREZ lines attach. They are also the points to which wind farms will connect to the ERCOT system. They are also referred to as "Stations" or "Substations."

Stakeholder
Any entity (landowner, business, etc.) that could be potentially affected by the location of a transmission line or substation.

Moving along with the CREZ

We are all waiting on something. Whether patiently or impatiently, people in the Panhandle of Texas are waiting for transmission lines to be built so that they can move forward with wind development in the area. First of all, I want to reiterate that things are moving along. Transmission Service Providers chosen by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) are working diligently to get these lines under construction.

If you are a landowner in the area where these TSPs are going to be building new lines as a part of the CREZ process then it is important that you be involved with them as much as possible. I have had nothing but positive experiences with the companies who are going to be building in our immediate area. Representatives from Sharyland Utilities and Cross Texas Transmission have been speakers at our recent meetings and I have no doubt that their utmost concern is making decisions that will best serve landowners and local communities. So take the time to meet with them and have your voice heard.

Sharyland is hosting several open house type public meetings coming up soon. Public meetings will be held on September 21st, 22nd and 24th in Silverton, Muncy and Dickens, respectively. The meetings will all be come and go events where you can ask questions of Sharyland reps and see detailed project maps. You can stop by at any of the meetings between 5 and 8pm. Find out more about the meetings here.

You can also find a copy of the map which shows preliminary routes for the Sharyland's line that will be crossing Motley, Floyd, Briscoe and Dickens Counties here. If you are a landowner in these areas, these public meetings are a chance to get your voice heard on which line you would prefer. The best thing to do might be to work with your neighbors; if a group of you go to Sharyland with a concern you just might have more pull.

In case you are wondering how this entire process is going to pan out, basically what will happen is that Sharyland, taking the suggestions they receive at public meetings and through other interactions with community members, will create several line proposals that they will submit to the PUCT. Included in this proposal, more formally called a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, will be an outline of a primary route (which Sharyland believes to be the best route) as well as several other alternative routes. The PUCT then has 6 months to choose the route they believe is best. Once the PUCT decides then Sharyland can begin construction. The entire CREZ system is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2013.

You can find another map Sharyland had available at recent public meetings for the line that crosses Potter, Randall, Carson, Armstrong and Deaf Smith Counties here.

A Post of Facts

Traditionally, I have tried to post a wind fact within my Wind News blog entries. Well, since I have added a shared news links to our Web site (if you haven't checked it out yet you can find it at on the News/Links page of our site) I don't think its necessary for me to share the same links on our blog. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I missed digging for those little nuggets of information that seem to help give insight into an industry that seemed to be ever changing. So, if you have missed them as much as I have then you should enjoy this post. Here are a few wind industry tidbits, enjoy!

WIND FACTS

In 2007 and 2008 more than 50 new wind industry manufacturing facilities were announced, opened or expanded in the U.S.
Source: AWEA 2009 Calendar

Wind is a fuel-free resource and its capitol costs are offset by major fuel cost savings over time.
Source: AWEA 2009 Calendar

An ERCOT study found that consumers would save money over the cost of investing in new transmission lines when new wind capacity is built in the state.
Source: AWEA 2009 Calendar

AWEA has determined that two-thirds of the predicted growth of wind energy generation in the U.S. will occur in Texas.
Source: State Energy Conservation Office

Wind power development in Texas has more than quadrupled since the renewable portfolio standard was established in 1999.
Source: State Energy Conservation Office

The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in royalty income for landowners, for communities and for the Texas Permanent School Fund
Source: State Energy Conservation Office

For landowners with wind turbines on their property, some wind leases provide bonuses and installation payments, but the primary form of payment is in the form of royalties, also called rent, operating fees or monthly production payments, usually paid to the landowner quarterly.
Source: The Energy Report 2008

While wind farms may extend over thousands of acres, the wind turbines themselves occupy only a small percentage of the land – generally 3 to 8 percent (one to two acres per turbine, mostly for the unit itself and associated service roads). This allows farmers and ranchers to use most of the land for other activities
Source: The Energy Report 2008

Most wind turbines currently planned for installation in West Texas wind farms are 1 MW to 2.3 MW units. Again, a 1 MW wind turbine can generate electricity for about 230 Texas households.
Source: The Energy Report 2008

I think that's probably enough to take in for today! Check back for more wind fact posts. I think for a future post I will work on a "what people in the wind industry are saying" post about wind quotes. Submit a quote about wind and I just might include it in the entry. And as always, if you have a suggestions for a blog entry please post it as a comment.

Until next time...

Windflowers

Class 4 Winds has begun hosting a networking luncheon in Amarillo once a month; I have been lucky enough to be able to attend the first two meetings. Both meetings have featured excellent speakers full of wind industry knowledge, not to mention great networking opportunities (hence the name networking luncheon). Last week's speakers were Dr. Vaughn Nelson, director of the alternative energy institute at WTAMU and Brad Christopher, project manager at the Wildorado Wind Ranch.

I wanted to share with you some of the interesting facts I picked up at the luncheon. First of all, if you are looking for a good comprehensive overview of everything wind energy you might consider picking up Dr. Nelson's new book Wind Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment. The book covers everything from the history of wind energy to wind turbine design, and much more.

During the meeting I believe I found my new favorite nickname for the towers that have been springing up across our great state: windflowers. To me the nickname is very forward-looking; it references the 30 story structures as just another part of our landscape. And from hearing Brad Christopher talk about the Wildorado Wind Ranch, that's just what they have become for them and the landowners in that area.

Mr. Christopher talked mainly about the construction of the farm that sits just west of Amarillo. It was interesting for me to hear that construction of this 161 MW (70 2.3 MW turbines) venture took less than a year. Construction of the farm started in June 2006 and the turbines were operational by April of 2007. Once the foundation for a turbine and underground transmission that connects a wind farm has been built, it takes around 8 hours to get a turbine up.

More interesting stuff (well at least I thought so anyway), each turbine has its own weather station on the tip top of the tower. That weather station basically tells the turbine when to start up, shut down, which way to turn, etc. When the blades are turning they are usually spinning at somewhere between 10 - 18 RPMs, the speed can be fixed or variable depending on the turbine. These particular turbines (or windflowers) at the Wildorado farm stand approximately 410 ft. high and the blades are each 150 ft. long.

Dr. Nelson offered up probably one of the most straight forward statements about what you need for wind energy development to happen. The three things were: windy land area, transmission, and someone to sell the energy to. Mr. Christopher added one other necessity: public support. The good news for our area is that we have these things, with the exception of transmission (which is on its way). Most importantly, we have landowners that see the benefits of wind energy development and therefore developers have less "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) issues to deal with. I know our landowner members are ready to see a build out of windflowers on their land.

Until next time...