New 345kV Transmission Line Project will support continued oil and
gas load growth.
Priority Power Management, LLC (“PPM”), a Texas-based leading
independent energy management and consulting services firm, announced
today its support of the Far West Texas Project (“FWTP”), a joint
project of American Electric Power Service Corporation (“AEP”) and Oncor
Electric Delivery Co LLC (“Oncor”), to construct a 345kV transmission
circuit and install 345kV/138kV autotransformers in the far west Texas
area of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”).
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160513005716/en/
Far West Texas Project scope illustration. Source: AEP and Oncor presentation to the ERCOT Regional Planning Group on April 21, 2016.
The FWTP consists of a 345kV line from Odessa to Moss to Permian Basin
to Mason to Pecos to Barrilla to Fort Stockton to Rio Pecos to
Bakersfield; with the initial installation of 345kV/138kV
autotransformers at Riverton, Solstice and Lynx stations. The estimated
total cost of the project is $423 million with an in-service date of
2022 or sooner. It also provides for longer term growth in the region by
allowing for the future addition of a second 345kV circuit and
additional autotransformer installations.
A significant amount of PPM’s client load is located in the ERCOT west
zone and consists of upstream and midstream oil and gas operations. PPM
assists its oil and gas clients with long term load forecasting,
electrical infrastructure planning and interfacing with transmission and
distribution utilities (“TDUs”) for submittals of added load. Thus, PPM
has insight into current and future retail customer load additions, and
TDU capacity limitations, in various geographies across west Texas.
“The reduction in crude oil and natural gas prices has definitely had an
impact on the amount of load additions that we experienced at the height
of the boom,” said John Bick, managing principal of PPM. “However, one
west Texas area in particular has bucked the trend and continues to have
a high level of activity – the Delaware Basin. This area includes
Culberson, Reeves, Loving, Ward, Winkler and Pecos counties in
particular.”
“The FWTP is needed to provide reliable electric service to current and
future load. This area will continue to grow at a faster pace than other
west Texas areas. It is critical that the transmission infrastructure in
the Delaware Basin continue to be upgraded to support continuing oil and
gas load growth,” added Mr. Bick. “We strongly encourage ERCOT to
approve the FWTP, and commend Oncor and AEP for bringing the proposed
project forward.”
About Priority Power Management
Priority Power Management, LLC is a leading Texas-based independent
energy management and consulting services firm to large commercial,
industrial and government customers. Priority Power Management provides
unbiased and objective energy management services in the areas of energy
information, supply and risk management, demand-side management and
energy infrastructure solutions. Since its establishment in 2001,
Priority Power Management has grown to procure and manage approximately
$1 billion of annual energy spend on behalf of clients from its offices
in Midland/Odessa, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Abilene. For more
information about Priority Power Management, LLC visit www.prioritypower.net.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160513005716/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2016
Source: Business Wire
(May 13, 2016 - 12:38 PM EDT)
News by QuoteMedia
www.quotemedia.com
