New Texas loop to connect renewables to grid

Sharyland Utilities has filed a proposal with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to build an 800-mile 345kV electric transmission loop throughout the Texas Panhandle.

To be known as the "Panhandle Loop", the project is intended to connect up to 8,000 megawatts (MW) of wind, natural gas, and coal-fired generation into the Texas electric market.

The Panhandle Loop is supported by diverse companies in the energy and chemical industries: Airtricity, Babcock & Brown Renewable Holdings, Celanese, Occidental Energy Ventures and Sharyland Utilities.

Preliminary planning has called for approximately 4,200 MW of wind power, 2,000 MW of gas-fired power, and 1,800 MW of coal-fired power in the region.

The combination of wind, coal, and gas generation is to ensure that a greater amount of electric power is constantly flowing along the power lines, thus resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective transmission system, said Sharyland.

The Panhandle Loop is to be open access, meaning any generator - whether it is wind, coal, natural gas, or any other source - will be welcome to use the loop, in a bid to spur new electrical generation projects in the Panhandle, the company said.

"The potential wind tapped by this project could power over 1 million homes annually in Texas. By bringing together natural gas and coal-fired plants with abundant Panhandle wind power as early as 2010, Sharyland's cost-effective and reliable Panhandle Loop will benefit the entire state," said Pat Wood, Chairman of Airtricity's North American Advisory Board and former chairman of both the Public Utility Commision of Texas and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The project is to be complete by late 2010.

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