North McCamey to Bearkat Transmission Project
LCRA TSC and Wind Energy Transmission Texas (WETT) are jointly proposing to build and operate a new 345-kilovolt transmission line to improve reliability and accommodate future demand and generating capacity growth in West Texas. The new transmission line is planned for portions of Upton, Reagan and Glasscock counties. It will connect LCRA TSC’s existing North McCamey Substation in Upton County with WETT’s existing Bearkat Substation in Glasscock County, which are about 60 miles apart.
The project requires LCRA TSC and WETT to amend their certificates of convenience and necessity (CCNs) with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. As part of the process, LCRA TSC and WETT will seek input from state and local elected officials and various agencies to identify routing constraints to help determine potential locations for new transmission facilities and assess the project’s potential impacts. LCRA TSC and WETT will hold open houses for the public to learn more about the project and provide their feedback.
Latest Update – January 2023
Jan. 20, 2023
Open house materials
LCRA TSC and WETT hosted open houses Jan. 17-19 to share information with the public and answer questions about the project. Review the information from the open houses below.
- Exhibits [PDF]
- Maps: The following maps depict routing constraints and preliminary alternate route segments.
- Preliminary Alternative Route Segments and Land Use Constraints maps
- Open house notification maps (Use this overview map to determine which of the following three maps are relevant to your property.)
- Landowner notification letter [PDF]
- Newspaper ad [PDF]
Previous Project Updates
January 2023
Representatives from LCRA TSC, WETT and POWER Engineers, the routing consulting firm, will be available to answer questions and discuss specific aspects of the project.
Jan. 17, 5-8 p.m.
Upton County 4H Community Center
18001 W. Hwy. 67, McCamey, TX 79752
Jan. 18, 5-8 p.m.
Reagan County Activity Center
1205 N. Montana Ave., Big Lake, TX 76932
Jan. 19, 5-8 p.m.
St. Lawrence Parish Hall
2400 FM 2401, Garden City, TX 79739
Preliminary alternative route segments map now available
LCRA TSC and WETT’s consultant, POWER Engineers, delineated the project study area and has begun data collection and constraint mapping. Click to view the alternative route segments map [PDF]. (Maps with more detail will be on view at the open houses.)
September 2022
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ (ERCOT) Board of Directors recently designated the project critical to reliability of the ERCOT system. Projects designated as “critical” are considered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on an expedited basis. LCRA TSC and WETT plan to file their joint CCN application by June 2023.
Project Timeline
| 2022 | |
|---|---|
| August | ERCOT Board designates project as Tier 1 critical status |
| September-December | LCRA TSC/WETT identify preliminary alternate route segments |
| 2023 | |
| January | Public open houses Jan. 17 (Upton County Community Center), Jan. 18 (Reagan County Activity Center) and Jan. 19 (St. Lawrence Parish Hall) |
| Spring/Summer | Expected filing of application for CCN amendments |
| Winter | PUC decision and final route determination |
| 2026 | |
| TBD | Estimated project in-service date |
Resources
Frequently asked questions [PDF]
Certificate process for transmission [PDF]
Interactive mapping tool: Zoom in and out on aerial imagery that depicts preliminary alternate transmission line route segments and property line information obtained from the county appraisal district.
Note: High-speed internet is recommended.
Texas Landowner’s Bill of Rights
Contact
Justin Stryker, LCRA Senior Regulatory Case Manager
512-730-5285
[email protected]
Social Media