ERCOT line enhances state's reliability, economic development

Dallas (May 14, 2001) – In spite of growing national concerns about electric reliability, Texans can rest easier this summer.

A new electricity superhighway was officially opened for commercial operation today at TXU Electric's transmission control center The $62 million, 88-mile line is the largest built in the past 20 years and will double the amount of electricity that can be moved from South to North Texas to serve customers.

Officials from TXU Electric and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages and determines the need for transmission additions, hosted state and national officials to dedicate the line. Officials included U.S. Representative Joe Barton, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. Other dignitaries were Texas Governor Rick Perry, ERCOT CEO Tom Noel and ERCOT COO Sam Jones, Public Utility Commissioner Brett Perlman and former commissioner Judy Walsh.

The new high-voltage transmission line, that runs from Dallas to the Houston area, boosts electric reliability for Texas, helps keep down electric costs to consumers and helps protect the state from the types of transmission congestion that contributed to California's power crises.

Built and operated by TXU Electric, the line will improve the ability of the company and other utilities to deliver electricity in the soon-to-be deregulated electric market.

"The new double-circuit 345-kilovolt transmission line doubles the south-to-north transmission transfer capacity in this area of the state from about 2,000 megawatts to about 4,000 megawatts," says Mike Greene, president of TXU Electric Transmission and Pipeline. "The added reliability, coupled with more availability of reasonably priced electricity, will continue to attract new business to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and to Texas."

As the DFW area continues to grow, it will benefit significantly from the new line both in reliability and economic development.

The new line starts at the TXU Electric Watermill Switching Station in southern Dallas County, about three miles northwest of the town of Ferris, and runs in a southeasterly direction for about 87.5 miles. The line connects north and south Texas at Limestone power plant located on the southeast corner of Limestone County just east of Limestone Lake.

"Our statewide 345 kv transmission system is the backbone that moves large amounts of power between different regions," says Tom Noel, CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the organization that manages most of the state's electric grid. "This new line will accommodate the connection of new generating plants to the Texas electric grid and will enable more providers to compete in major Texas markets."

The Public Utility Commission approved the line in November of 1999, and TXU Electric completed construction one year ahead of the May 2002 scheduled date.

"We are proud of our employees and contractors who worked long, hard hours in getting the line built ahead of schedule and in time for the restructuring of the electric industry," says Greene. "Once again, these dedicated employees have come through when needed."