The signature transmission project in Xcel Energy’s Power for the Plains
grid improvement plan for Texas and New Mexico is now in service,
providing a host of benefits to communities across the area, as well as
to the industries that underpin the regional economy.
The TUCO-to-Woodward 345-kilovolt transmission line between Xcel
Energy’s TUCO Substation north of Lubbock to the Oklahoma state line was
energized last week when a connection was made with an Oklahoma line
segment built by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company. Xcel Energy built
the line from TUCO to just east of the Texas-Oklahoma boundary in
Beckham County, Okla. The OG&E segment connects from the Beckham County
site to Woodward, Okla.
Total cost for Xcel Energy’s portion of the TUCO line is approximately
$205 million, shared among the member utilities of the Southwest Power
Pool, the regional transmission organization overseeing grid reliability
in portions of eight south-central states, including the Texas
Panhandle-South Plains region and eastern New Mexico.
In May, Xcel Energy and OG&E completed another major transmission
connection between Hitchland, Texas, and Woodward. This and the TUCO
projects are among 22 critical improvements grouped in the Power for the
Plains enhancement project, which was launched after a 2010 Southwest
Power Pool study. Of these 22 projects, 11 have been completed.
“Electricity demand has grown phenomenally across northwest Texas and
eastern New Mexico, driving the need for more power and enhanced
delivery systems,” said David Hudson, president and CEO of Southwestern
Public Service Company, an Xcel Energy company. “These connections boost
reliability and save customers money in the long run by opening this
region to new power markets.”
With new connections such as the TUCO and Hitchland lines, Xcel Energy
can take advantage of more opportunities to buy and sell power from the
regional market to provide the lowest cost mix to regional customers at
any given time, Hudson said. And in the summer peak season, the company
will have access to more power to meet peak demand even when all the
area generating resources are being used.
The TUCO-Woodward line and others like it also boost the reliability of
the area grid, offering more alternatives to move power into and around
the area in the event of outages on other major lines. Additionally, the
new lines provide more export capacity for wind energy generated from
area wind farms, Hudson said.
In addition to the TUCO-Woodward project, the company currently has more
than 1,000 miles of 345-kilovolt projects in permitting and under
construction in seven states. In the Upper Midwest, Xcel Energy is the
largest partner in the CapX2020 transmission expansion initiative, a
unique collaboration of 11 utilities.
“Xcel Energy is an industry leader in the development of transmission,”
said Teresa Mogensen, vice president of transmission at Xcel Energy. “We
have close to 19,000 miles of transmission assets in 10 states, and
we’re uniquely positioned both geographically and competitively for
continued growth.”
Information and maps for all the Power for the Plains projects can be
located at www.powerfortheplains.com.
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas
company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern
states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related
products and services to 3.5 million electricity customers and 1.9
million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies.
Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is
available at www.xcelenergy.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2014