On Thursday, Sept. 24th, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) voted to give the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) additional time to study potential routes for the proposed CREZ transmission lines that may affect the Texas Hill Country. The additional time will allow LCRA to expand its study area to review possible routes in a wider area that will consider existing rights-of-way along I-10 and highways and current transmission line routes. The scope of the new review will include a study area approximately double the size of the previous study area. The additional time to expand the study area does not remove any of the existing proposed routes from consideration by LCRA and the PUC.
Industry representatives seemed to understand the political nature of the LCRA request and filed comments generally supporting the extension of time. E.ON, for example supported the extension if the length of time is reasonable and review of additional routes necessary. NextEra submitted a response that stated it recognizes the importance and concerns underlying the request, but there are urgent reliability and other needs for the priority transmission projects. NextEra urged the Commission to inquire into and determine whether the length of the requested delays is excessive. AES Wind said it “defers to the Commission for balancing all of the interests” but expressed concerns about when the lines will be energized.
LCRA originally was required to begin submitting its applications for the lines in October. The additional time will extend filing dates to Oct. 28 for the Gillespie-Newton project, Jan. 15, 2010, for the Twin Buttes-McCamey D project, and July 6, 2010, for the McCamey D-Kendall-Gillespie project. The completion of the projects likely will be delayed from 2012 to the end of 2013.
The PUC’s decision was cheered by members of the Clear View Alliance, but it is likely that any new routes in the expanded study area are likely to bring their own opposition. Mason Mayor Brent Hinkley filed comments saying the citizens of Mason have become concerned about the proposed expansion and submitting a copy of a resolution stating the city’s concerns.