Project Overview
Texas-New Mexico Power is proposing a new 138 kV transmission line that would begin at the existing Coyanosa Substation, traverse approximately 30 miles to the southeast and terminate at the existing Leon Creek Substation. Visit the last slide to provide comments about features shown (or missing) from this map.
Regulatory Process
The regulatory process includes an Environmental Assessment and Routing Analysis, a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) from the Public Utility Commission (PUC), and if required, an Administrative Hearing. View more details below.
1 Define Project
Identify beginning and end points for project.
2 Environmental Assessment & Routing Analysis
- Define study area.
- Collect and review data.
- Send consultation letter to local, state, and federal agencies and officials soliciting information on the study area.
- Map environmental and land use constraints in study area.
- Determine preliminary transmission line links based on maps, aerial photos, constraints data and field visits.
- Send invitation for open house to landowners in proximity to preliminary transmission line links.
- We are here Hold open house to gather public input.
- Analyze preliminary transmission line links to develop the primary alternative routes.
- Prepare Environmental Assessment Report.
3 Public Utility Commission Application Process
- Submit an application to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to amend the Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN).
- Upon filing of the application, notices will be sent to landowners whose properties may be crossed or owners of property which contain a habitable structure that is within 300' of any alternative route.
- Notices will also be sent to municipalities and electric utilities within five miles of the project and to municipal and county governments where the project is located.
- Following the filing of the application, interested parties will have an opportunity to participate in an intervention process.
If there are intervenors: Administrative Hearing
- Conducts a technical review of project routing.
- Reviews testimony filed by all parties.
- Administrative law judge prepares proposed final order.
If there are NO intervenors: PUC Staff Review
- PUC staff conducts a review and makes a recommendation to approve project as submitted or approve the project with modifications.
4 PUC Decision (within 6 months)
Option 1
- PUC approves the application.
Option 2
- PUC approves the application with modifications.
Option 3
- PUC denies the application.
Environmental And Land Use Criteria for Evaluation
Numerous factors are considered during the development of a transmission line project. Explore those considerations below.
Land Use
- Length of alternative route
- Number of habitable structures1 within 300 feet of Right-of-Way (ROW) centerline
- Number of parcels crossed by alternative route
- Length of ROW using existing transmission line row
- Length of ROW parallel to existing transmission line ROW
- Length of ROW parallel to other compatible existing ROW (highways, public roadways, railways, etc. — excluding pipelines)
- Length of ROW parallel to apparent property lines
- Percentage of ROW parallel to existing compatible corridors and apparent property boundaries (excluding pipelines)
- Length of ROW through parks/recreational areas
- Number of parks/recreational areas crossed by ROW centerline
- Number of additional parks/recreational areas within 1,000 feet of ROW centerline
- Length of ROW through cropland
- Length of ROW through pasture/rangeland
- Length of ROW through land irrigated by traveling systems (rolling or pivot type)
- Number of transmission pipeline crossings
- Number of transmission line crossings
- Number of U.S. and State Highway crossings
- Number of Farm-to-Market road crossings
- Number of cemeteries within 1,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of federal aviation administration (FAA) registered airports with at least one runway more than 3,200 feet in length located within 20,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of FAA registered airports having no runway more than 3,200 feet in length located within 10,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of private airstrips within 10,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of heliports within 5,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of commercial AM radio transmitters within 10,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of FM radio transmitters, microwave towers, and other electronic installations within 2,000 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of recorded water wells within 200 feet of the ROW centerline
- Number of recorded oil and gas wells within 200 feet of the ROW centerline
Aesthetics
- Estimated length of ROW within the foreground visual zone2 of U.S. and State Highways
- Estimated length of ROW within the foreground visual zone2 of Farm-to-Market roads
- Estimated length of ROW within the foreground visual zone2 of parks/recreational areas
Ecology
- Length of ROW through upland woodlands
- Length of ROW through bottomland/riparian woodlands
- Length of ROW across mapped National Wetland Inventory wetlands and playas
- Length of ROW across known habitat of federally listed endangered or threatened species
- Length of ROW across open water (lakes, ponds)
- Number of stream crossings
- Length of ROW parallel (within 100 feet) to streams
- Length of ROW across 100-year floodplains
Cultural Resources
- Number of archeological or historical sites crossed by ROW
- Number of additional archeological or historical sites within 1,000 feet of ROW centerline
- Number of National Register of Historic Places listed properties crossed by ROW
- Number of additional National Register of Historic Places listed properties within 1,000 feet of ROW centerline
- Length of ROW across areas of high archeological site potential
1. Single-family and multi-family dwellings and related structures, mobile homes, apartment buildings, commercial structures, industrial structures, business structures, churches, hospitals, schools, or other structures normally inhabited by humans or intended to be inhabited by humans on a regular basis. 2. One-half mile, unobstructed.
Transmission Line Structures
Several structure types are being proposed for this project.
Double Circuit Tangent Braced Post
138 kV Direct Embed Tubular Steel
Approximately 80 feet of ROW
Proposed Timeline
Project activities will occur between March 2024 and March 2027.
- Routing Study, Environmental Assessment, and Public Meeting - March 2024 to December 2024
- File CCN and PUC Review - December 2024 to July 2025
- PUC Approval - July 2025
- ROW Activities - August 2025 to August 2026
- Transmission Construction - September 2026 to March 2027
Construction Timing/Methods
TNMP plans to file the CCN application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in December 2024. The PUCT has six months to make a decision on the project; however, the PUCT can issue an order prior to that time. TNMP will begin construction upon final approval by the PUCT. TNMP anticipates that the project will be completed by March 2027.
Surveying
Surveying of the proposed transmission line ROW is required to locate the centerline, the structure locations, obstacles above and below ground, and the edges of both new and existing ROW.
Clearing
Tree and shrub clearing may be needed in areas where new ROW is acquired. If a SWPPP is required, it will be implemented along the approved route prior to the start of clearing. Mechanized cutters and hand tools will be used to remove impeding vegetation to ground level.
Structure Placement
Specialized wide-track vehicles and line trucks with trailers will be used to transport construction materials along the ROW to the structure locations.
Weathered steel poles will be delivered to the site location shortly before the poles are ready to be set. A large crane would then set the pole directly into an excavated hole. The hole will be backfilled with native soil or crushed limestone.
If needed for the dead-end and angled structures, the concrete foundations will be installed several weeks before the steel poles are erected to allow the foundations to cure and reach their maximum strength. The steel poles will be delivered and set next to the proposed structure location shortly before structure erection. The structures will be assembled on-site, and a crane will be used to set the sections into place onto the previously installed foundations.
Conductor and Static Wire Installation
Once the structures have been erected, the stringing and clipping-in of conductors and static wires will begin. Outages on the rerouted transmission line are a possibility during the conductor and static wire installation. However, additional outages on other lines that will be crossed during the install are not anticipated. Each road crossing will have temporary guard poles installed for public protection while stringing in the new conductors.
Cleanup
Cleanup operations will be performed as construction activities are completed. Cleanup includes removal of debris, unused materials, and trash. Any necessary soil stabilization and reestablishing of vegetative cover will also occur during cleanup, following the procedures dictated in the SWPPP, if required. Pre-construction contours will also be restored following construction.
Governmental Agencies and Officials Contacted
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Department of Defense Siting Clearinghouse
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission
- Texas Historical Commission
- Texas Water Development Board
- Texas General Land Office
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Senate
- Texas Senate
- Texas House of Representatives
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Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
TxDOT Odessa District
TxDOT Division of Aviation
TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division
TxDOT Planning & Programming - Reeves County
- Pecos County
- City of Fort Stockton
- Buena Vista ISD
- Fort Stockton ISD
- Monahans-Wickwett-Pyote ISD