To address the reliability of electric service in the area west and southwest of San  Antonio, extending to the border towns of Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Laredo, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) recommended several transmission improvements.  These improvements will relieve overloading and under-voltage conditions that exist on the transmission system. These improvements will also improve the power transfer capability of the transmission system from generation located south and east of San Antonio to the high load growth areas along the border.

One of the improvements recommended by ERCOT is the construction of a new 138 kV line from the American Electric Power Texas Central Company (AEP TCC) Uvalde substation to the CPS Energy system (either the Castroville substation or the Texas Research substation). Specifically, this transmission line is needed to address several single contingency events (transmission facility outages) that result in overloads to five transmission facilities.  These facilities are the San Miguel 345/138 kV autotransformer, and the San Miguel bus tie, the Medina Electric Cooperative (MEC) Moore to MEC Downie 138 kV transmission line, the MEC Hondo Creek 138/69 kV autotransformer, and the MEC Pearson 138/69 kV autotransformer. These overloads and under-voltage conditions place electric customers in the area at considerable risk of losing electric service.  These risks are in violation of both ERCOT and North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) transmission reliability requirements. Therefore, all electric service customers west and southwest of San Antonio to and including the border towns of Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Laredo benefit from the electric service reliability improvement provided by this transmission line.

Yes.  Electric power lines are generally classified as “transmission” or “distribution” lines.  Transmission lines are higher-voltage power lines that are better suited to efficiently carry large amounts of electricity over long distances.  They generally connect power plants with substations, where the higher voltages are converted to lower voltages for retail customer use.  Distribution lines are the smaller, lower-voltage lines that get the power from substations to homes and businesses.

Additional capacity to existing transmission lines does not provide the redundancy needed for reliable electric service.  The AEP Uvalde-to-CPS Energy transmission line will provide an additional path for power transfer, thereby relieving overloading on existing transmission facilities during outages to other transmission facilities.

Each utility is responsible for building, maintaining and improving its portion of the statewide transmission system.  The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is the independent organization authorized by law to operate and oversee the reliability of Texas’ electric grid.  ERCOT has reviewed and recommended this project as necessary to support system reliability.

Yes.  ETT is regulated by the PUC, and the PUC will be responsible for reviewing and approving the ETT portion of this line.  CPS Energy’s transmission line routing process does not fall within the jurisdiction of the PUC.  However, CPS Energy follows a process for routing and siting transmission facilities that is similar to the one established by the PUC.  These processes ensure that the public is involved early in and throughout the process.  A PUC commissioner is an ex-officio member of the ERCOT Board and ERCOT regularly submits reports to the PUC, so the PUC is aware of transmission projects such as this one.

 The AEP Uvalde-to-CPS Energy transmission line is planned to be completed in June 2011.

In order to site new facilities such as substations or transmission lines, CPS Energy follows the CPS Energy “Facility General Routing/Siting Process.”  Once the need for the project is established, a study area is defined.  To identify potential routes within the study area, many factors are considered during the data-gathering phase, including feedback from people in the affected communities.  The area is studied using recent aerial photos and field investigations, and federal, state, and local agencies are contacted for information.

Natural terrain, environmental constraints, land use, cultural and human resources, existing easements, and engineering factors are considered when identifying possible line segments that might be used to formulate potential routes.  Many line segments may be examined and modified or eliminated due to one or more factors before final routes are selected.  As the public input process continues, line segments may be modified or eliminated, or new segments may be added.  This process will lead CPS Energy to develop and focus efforts on a few potential routes and, ultimately, identify a preferred route.

CPS Energy understands that property owners often do not want some of their property used for public infrastructure, so the Routing/Siting Process is designed to help CPS Energy identify a route that would have as little impact on the human and natural environments as reasonably possible.

The two processes are very similar.  The CPS Energy Facility General Routing/Siting Process was designed based on the Public Utility Commission’s Routing guidelines that are used by ETT.  ETT and CPS Energy will provide information to the public, conduct joint open houses, evaluate public input, and jointly evaluate all potential route segments.  ETT and CPS Energy will agree on a final preferred route, which will be recommended for approval to their respective regulatory authorities:  CPS Energy will take the recommended route to the CPS Energy Board of Trustees for approval.  After approval, CPS Energy requests the San Antonio City Council approve an ordinance to acquire right-of way by eminent domain, if necessary.  ETT will take the same recommendation to the PUC.

Examples of concerns include existing homes, churches, schools, farmland, flood plains, airports, the length of the line, the completion date, use of existing rights-of-way, benefits for future projects, the presence of potential habitat of any endangered species, and protected parklands or preserves.  The Facility General Routing/Siting Process includes a list of over 30 criteria examined in the course of the route selection process.  

Absolutely.  CPS Energy is sensitive to aesthetic considerations.  CPS Energy is committed to working with the community to identify reasonable design factors, which can be applied to make the line as agreeable to the public as possible.  This might include locating the line behind commercial development or on undeveloped land.

No.  Placing transmission lines underground is simply cost prohibitive.  CPS Energy and ETT have a responsibility to keep costs reasonable so as to avoid passing on extreme costs to customers.

As part of CPS Energy’s and ETT’s processes, a consultant performs an initial analysis to identify environmental constraints in the study area.  Additional information is solicited from the public during the open house meetings.  This knowledge of environmental constraints helps us identify, modify or eliminate preliminary route segments.  A detailed environmental impact study will be performed on the primary routes identified in the CPS Energy Routing/Siting process.  Environmental constraints may include things like close proximity to homes, schools, endangered species habitats, parks and recreation areas, airports, floodplains, etc.  A list of environmental criteria for this project can be found on the Web at cpsenergy.com.

Yes.  CPS Energy works with numerous local, state and federal agencies in order to comply with endangered species protections and other environmental regulation.  These agencies include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), among others.  These projects are not new to CPS Energy, as numerous lines have been built within and around San Antonio.

Yes.  The final environmental assessment is a public document, and a draft will be available on the CPS Energy Web site (cpsenergy.com) as described in the CPS Energy Routing/Siting Process.  The final report is finalized when the route is approved by the appropriate regulatory authority, and it is also available to the public.

CPS Energy and ETT have sent letters to property owners to make them aware of the project and their opportunities to give the utilities feedback about the proposed transmission line route.  Letters will be sent to property owners within 300 feet of all potential route segments for the 138-kV transmission line.  CPS Energy and ETT identify property owners in these areas by using public records from the appraisal district of the appropriate county.  In addition, CPS Energy and ETT announce the open houses through advertisements in local newspapers, through press releases to area newspapers, television stations and radio stations, and through use of CPS Energy’s Web site (cpsenergy.com) and ETT’s Web Site (aep.com).

The study area for the project is identified based on the end points for the line (in this case, the Uvalde and Texas Research or Castroville substations).  CPS Energy, ETT and their consultants review the terrain, various existing constraints (such as established neighborhoods, schools, parkland, endangered species habitats, etc.) and then develop preliminary or proposed route segments.  As potential routes are refined and limited, and further comments are received from the public, more in-depth analyses are performed for each potential complete route.

CPS Energy’s service area includes virtually all of Bexar County and parts of Medina, Kendall, Comal, Bandera, Atascosa, Guadalupe and Wilson counties.  The service area applies to retail electric distribution service – the area in which CPS Energy sells power directly to the end-user.  There is no service area for transmission service.  Thus, CPS Energy sometimes installs transmission lines beyond the retail electric distribution service area (for example, to connect to power generation outside the area) but our resources are concentrated in the San Antonio area.  If a transmission project connects to the CPS Energy system (as in this project), CPS Energy prefers to own and operate that portion of the project within our retail service area so that CPS Energy customers enjoy the benefits of a locally-developed process.

No, not yet. A cost estimate for each potential route will be prepared during the preparation of the environmental assessment report as described in the CPS Energy Routing/Siting Process, after the environmental analyses are completed.

For CPS Energy, it is the right granted by a property owner for CPS Energy to use a limited portion of a tract of land for its facilities.  CPS Energy does not actually own the property but the property owner does grant CPS Energy (1) the right to install and operate its facilities, and (2) the right to access the easement area.  An easement is also sometimes referred to as a right-of-way.  The property owner is allowed to continue use of their property so long as no interference with CPS Energy’s easement results.

Easements for this project (138-kV transmission line) will typically range from 80 to 100-feet wide.

Once a route is approved by the CPS Energy Board of Trustees, the property owners directly affected will again be contacted requesting permission to conduct land surveys on the property to establish the boundaries of the easement.  Easement areas will be defined and described by a registered professional land surveyor.  The land surveys, referred to as “metes and bounds” surveys, are specific descriptions of the exact measurements of the land needed for the facilities.  At the same time, non-invasive environmental and cultural resource surveys will be conducted.

Yes.  CPS Energy will work with property owners to acquire each easement.  Although negotiations might take place at any time, CPS Energy will formally contact property owners after approval of the project, sometime after the metes and bounds surveys have been obtained and appraisal reports have been prepared.

CPS Energy selects an independent appraiser to conduct a professional appraisal to establish the value of the easement or property.  A copy of the appraisal report is provided to the property owner at the time a formal offer is made.

Eminent domain is the right to acquire private property for public use.  Many government entities and public utilities are given this right by law, but only so long as the property owner is paid just compensation.  One attribute of eminent domain is that the entity exercising the power of eminent domain may do so even if the owner does not wish to sell his or her property.

Yes, through the City of San Antonio, Texas, CPS Energy acquires property interests, including easements, in order to meet the public need for safe and reliable electric and gas utility services.  However, after the City formally authorizes the use of eminent domain powers, CPS Energy will obtain an appraisal and negotiate in good faith with affected property owners for the purchase of the property interest before seeking to exercise eminent domain.

No. Although clear-cutting may have been common in the past, CPS Energy works to reduce clearing and to keep the easement area in its natural state.  When transmission lines cross undeveloped land, CPS Energy may clear up to a 30-foot wide path to allow construction and maintenance vehicles access from one transmission structure to another.  In addition, at each structure location CPS Energy will clear a pad site within the easement for facility construction and maintenance.  CPS Energy’s easement maintenance crews will periodically inspect the lines and, if needed, clear the easement path and trim any trees that might interfere with the electric lines and structures or cause service interruptions, particularly during storms. When transmission lines cross farmland (land that is already cleared and in use), CPS Energy likewise works closely with farmers to minimize clearing so as much land as possible may be used for crops. 

Yes.  CPS Energy will pay for damages to property and crops during both construction and maintenance of the transmission line.
  

Transmission structures hold the power lines aloft.  There are three (3) structure options for this project:  steel mono-poles, wide-base lattice towers and narrow-base lattice towers.  CPS Energy seeks input from the public during open houses as to the type structure preferred by property owners and residents.

Terrain and other factors can affect the size of the transmission structures.  Specific heights cannot be determined until the route is selected and the line is designed; however, transmission towers supporting this 138-kV line likely will range from 100 to 150 feet tall.

 If you attend one of the open houses, please fill out a survey.  These meetings were designed specifically to gather public input and to provide you with access to information about the project.  If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled open houses, this survey is also available on the CPS Energy and ETT Web sites, cpsenergy.com and aep.com, and may be mailed to the following:

CPS Energy
P.O. Box 1771
San Antonio, TX 78296-1771
Attention:  AEP Uvalde-to-CPS Energy Project
Maildrop: 111008

Also, you may submit your comments via the Web at
 cpsenergy.com

Lastly, you may leave a voice message for CPS Energy at (210) 353-2471 or call toll-free (800) 773-0377 and ask for extension 2471.

The Web site and phone line also carry the latest information available on this project.  Please be sure to provide us with your U.S. postal address and e-mail if you would like further information or a response to your questions.  CPS Energy and ETT will provide project-specific updates on a periodic basis.