Transmission-line contractors named AMARILLO, TEXAS (hppr) - Mark Haslett: The development of wind-generated electricity in the Texas Panhandle has just passed another small milestone. In late January, the Texas Public Utilities Commission named the private contractors who will build electrical transmission lines from the Panhandle to urban markets downstate. P-U-C spokesman Terry Hadley says that this development marks the continuation of a multi-year project. (:21)

Terry Hadley: This action is a major step in the process that began with legislation that was passed in 2005- designed to deliver wind power from its source- the Panhandle and West Texas- to where electricity is needed- Dallas-Fort Worth and the Austin area of Central Texas. (:25)

Haslett: In the Panhandle, the state will be contracting with two companies. Cross Texas Transmission is a division of L-S Power, a New York-based firm. Cross Texas will build lines from Gray and Swisher Counties to a substation south of Childress. The other company, Dallas-based Sharyland Utilities, will build lines in Randall and Armstrong counties as well as elsewhere in the south-central Panhandle. So, what kind of jobs will this development bring? (:28)

Hadley: Those details should appear during the application process. Once the order is issued for these designated providers, then these applications will come in throughout the year, with an October deadline. They must have detail of a specific path and routing and the expenses. (:23)

Haslett: Neither Sharyland nor Cross Texas have yet disclosed what type of jobs- and how many- the projects will create. It's almost certain that both companies will be holding public meetings in the near future to share information and hear local concerns. Similarly, the exact location of the lines has yet to be determined- current maps depict a general pathway, but not exact routes. A-J Swopes of the industry group Class 4 Winds says that once those specific locations are determined, that wind-generation companies will proceed with their projects. (:33)

A.J. Swopes: I know for a fact that there a couple of wind farms in the Panhandle that have delayed construction and delayed development because they weren't sure where transmission is going to be. I think as soon as the developing companies see the plans from Sherryland or Cross Texas, they're going to be more apt to getting their development underway. (:24)

Haslett: So, who will be paying for the new lines? Hadley says that consumers in urban markets will be footing the bill. (:06)

Hadley: Ultimately, it is paid for by the customers. Generally, the expectation is that customers within ERCOT would pay a few dollars a month over a period of several to 15 years to compensate the developers for the transmission buildup. (:22)

Haslett: ERCOT- that's the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. That's the name for the power grid that serves most of the state, including the I-35 corridor. The Panhandle, however, is not within ERCOT's service area. That's a significant detail- since that means that this particular project will not raise utility rates in the Southwest Power Pool- the grid that serves the High Plains. (:24)

Swopes: This is going to cost around about 5 billion dollars- I believe the correct number is 4.93 billion. We're not paying any of that- being customers of the Southwest Power Pool. (:11)

Haslett: That's the total statewide price tag- the Panhandle portion of the project is expected to cost 784 million. Current projections call for ground to be broken next year and the new lines to be completed by 20-12. This is Mark Haslett, H-P-P-R News. (:15)
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