The public has three more opportunities to attend open houses to gather information and give input on a new transmission line project that may affect Schleicher, Sutton, Menard, Kimble, Mason, Kerr, Kendall and Gillespie counties. People also can send their comments by mail before March 10.
LCRA Transmission Services Corporation (LCRA TSC) will host its final three of nine "come-and-go" style open houses to inform citizens about the McCamey D-to-Kendall-to-Gillespie Project and to gather public input about line routing. The transmission lines will move wind power from northern Schleicher County to substations in Kendall and Gillespie counties.
Open houses will take place at these locations:
- Eldorado — Monday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Schleicher County Civic Center, 427 U.S. Highway 277
- Kerrville — Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Cailloux Campus Activity Center, 2100 Memorial Blvd., Schreiner University
- Sonora — Wednesday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Sutton County Civic Center, 1700 N. Crockett Avenue
More than 1,250 people attended open houses held by LCRA TSC Feb. 15 through 18 in Junction, Menard, Mason and Fredericksburg.
People who attended those open houses and took questionnaires home to complete them need to mail them by the March 10 deadline. Others who want to comment can find the open house questionnaires online at www.lcra.lcra/crez. Questionnaires received after the deadline will be considered and evaluated as time permits.
Submit completed McCamey D-to-Kendall-to-Gillespie Project questionnaires by mail to Sara Morgenroth, senior regulatory case manager, LCRA Regulatory Services, Mailstop BTC 151, P.O. Box 220, Austin, Texas 78767-0220, or send them by fax to Morgenroth at (512) 369-4193.
Transmission capacity for wind power to increase
LCRA TSC’s new transmission lines are part of a greater estimated $4.9 billion project intended to allow for reliable and cost-effective delivery of power produced from wind generators located in areas of West Texas and the Panhandle, called Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ), to areas of high energy demand throughout the state. The CREZ effort will significantly increase Texas’ current electric transmission capacity for wind power.
As ordered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), LCRA TSC will build, own and operate about 600 miles of new and rebuilt existing transmission lines and facilities that will total about $700 million, according to PUC estimates. Several other transmission service providers also will build CREZ-related lines totaling about 2,400 miles.
On July 6, 2010, LCRA TSC must submit to the PUC an application to amend its Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, which is required before construction can begin. The application package will include information about a preferred route and alternative routes for the new lines.
The final route for each of LCRA TSC’s CREZ-related projects must be selected and approved by the PUC before LCRA TSC can begin construction. The PUC will select which route will be constructed.
The McCamey D-to-Kendall route is estimated to be between 128 miles and 165 miles long, depending on the route approved by the PUC. The estimated length of the routes from Kendall to Gillespie is approximately 28 to 33 miles.
After LCRA TSC files a preferred route and several alternative routes with the PUC, the public will have a chance to intervene and participate in the PUC’s decision-making process.
For more information about these and other CREZ-related projects, look online at www.lcra.org/crez and select the individual project for specific information.
About LCRA TSC
LCRA Transmission Services Corporation is a nonprofit corporation created by LCRA to build, own, and operate transmission lines and related facilities throughout Texas. LCRA TSC owns and leases about 4,400 miles of transmission lines and other facilities that are part of the state’s electric grid. LCRA TSC pays local and state taxes.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is a nonprofit conservation and reclamation district that provides energy, water, and community services to Texans. Created by the Texas Legislature in 1934, LCRA has no taxing authority and operates solely on utility revenues and service fees. LCRA supplies electricity to more than 1.1 million Texans through more than 40 wholesale customers. LCRA also provides many other services in the region. These services include managing floods, protecting the quality of the lower Colorado River and its tributaries, providing parks and recreational facilities, offering economic development assistance, operating water and wastewater utilities, and providing soil, energy, and water conservation programs.
