Proposed Cowpen 138 kV Transmission Line Project Online Open House Meeting

Project Overview

Texas-New Mexico Power is proposing a new 138 kV transmission line from the proposed Cowpen Substation southeast of Pecos, Texas, to existing transmission line infrastructure that is generally located south of Pecos, west of State Highway (SH) 285, and east of SH-17. 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

Double Circuit Deadend

138 kV Self-Supporting Tubular Steel

Approximately 80 feet of ROW

Double Circuit 4-Pole Deadend

138 kV Self-supporting Tubular Steel

Approximately 80 feet of ROW

Proposed Timeline

Project activities will occur between March 2024 and December 2026.

Routing Study, Environmental Assessment, and Public Meeting - March 2024 to September 2024
File CCN and PUC Review - September 2024 to April 2025
PUC Approval - April 2025
ROW Activities - May 2025 to May 2026
Transmission Construction - June 2026 to December 2026

Construction Timing/Methods

TNMP plans to file the CCN application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in September 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 December 2026.

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
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
TxDOT Odessa District
TxDOT Division of Aviation
TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division
TxDOT Planning & Programming
Reeves County
Pecos County
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD