| (II) For a transmission line not addressed by clause
(i) of this subparagraph, the commission will consider, among other
factors, the needs of the interconnected transmission systems to support
a reliable and adequate network and to facilitate robust wholesale
competition. When evaluating reliability for a proposed project in
the ERCOT region, the commission will consider and any review conducted
by ERCOT must incorporate the historical load, forecasted load growth,
and additional load currently seeking interconnection. The forecasted
load growth and additional load currently seeking interconnection
must be substantiated by quantifiable evidence of projected load growth.
The commission will give great weight to:
(-a-) the recommendation of an organization that meets
the requirement of PURA §39.151; and/or
(-b-) written documentation provided by a transmission
service provider to ERCOT that the transmission line is needed to
interconnect transmission service or retail customers.
(iii) Resiliency. ERCOT may recommend, and the commission
may approve, a transmission project that is submitted as an economic
or reliability project and does not demonstrate sufficient economic
savings or reliability benefits to merit approval on those grounds
if ERCOT determines the line would address a resiliency issue identified
in the grid reliability and resiliency assessment required by subparagraph
(E) of this paragraph. In determining whether to approve such a project
the commission will consider:
(I) the margin by which the transmission project was
unable to demonstrate sufficient economic savings or reliability benefits
to merit approval on those grounds;
(II) whether the resiliency benefits the transmission
project would provide by reducing the impacts to customers of potential
outages caused by regional extreme weather scenarios are sufficient
to compensate for the project's inability to demonstrate sufficient
economic savings or reliability benefits to merit approval on those
grounds.
(III) the cost effectiveness of the transmission project's
ability to address the resiliency issue identified by ERCOT compared
to other possible solutions,
(IV) other factors listed in PURA §37.056(c),
as appropriate.
(B) Routing: An application for a new transmission
line must address the criteria in PURA §37.056(c) and considering
those criteria, engineering constraints, and costs, the line must
be routed to the extent reasonable to moderate the impact on the affected
community and landowners unless grid reliability and security dictate
otherwise. The following factors must be considered in the selection
of the utility's alternative routes unless a route is agreed to by
the utility, the landowners whose property is crossed by the proposed
line, and owners of land that contains a habitable structure within
300 feet of the centerline of a transmission project of 230 kV or
less, or within 500 feet of the centerline of a transmission project
greater than 230 kV, and otherwise conforms to the criteria in PURA §37.056(c):
(i) whether the routes parallel or utilize existing
compatible rights-of-way for electric facilities, including the use
of vacant positions on existing multiple- circuit transmission lines;
(ii) whether the routes parallel or utilize other existing
compatible rights-of- way, including roads, highways, railroads, or
telephone utility rights-of-way;
(iii) whether the routes parallel property lines or
other natural or cultural features; and
(iv) whether the routes conform with the policy of
prudent avoidance.
(C) Uncontested transmission lines: An application
for a certificate for a transmission line will be approved administratively
within 80 days from the date of filing a complete application if:
(i) no motion to intervene has been filed or the application
is uncontested; and
(ii) commission staff has determined that the application
is complete and meets all applicable statutory criteria and filing
requirements, including, but not limited to, the provision of proper
notice of the application.
(D) Projects deemed critical to reliability. Applications
for transmission lines which have been formally designated by a PURA §39.151
organization as critical to the reliability of the system will be
considered by the commission on an expedited basis. The commission
will render a decision approving or denying an application for a certificate
under this subparagraph within 180 days of the date of filing a complete
application for such a certificate unless good cause is shown for
extending that period.
(E) Grid reliability and resiliency assessment. ERCOT
must conduct a biennial assessment of the ERCOT power grid's reliability
and resiliency in extreme weather scenarios. Each assessment must:
(i) consider the impact of different levels of thermal
and renewable generation availability;
(ii) identify areas of the state that face significant
grid reliability and resiliency issues, taking into account the impact
of potential outages caused by regional extreme weather scenarios
on customers, including multiple element outage analysis when appropriate,
and
(iii) recommend transmission projects that may increase
the grid's reliability or resiliency in extreme weather scenarios.
(4) Tie line. An application for a tie line must include
a study of the tie line by ERCOT. The study must include, at a minimum,
an ERCOT-approved reliability assessment of the proposed tie line.
If an independent system operator intends to conduct a study to evaluate
a proposed tie line or intends to provide confidential information
to another entity to permit the study of a proposed tie line, the
independent system operator must file notice with the commission at
least 45 days prior to the commencement of such a study or the provision
of such information.
(c) Projects or activities not requiring a certificate.
A certificate, or certificate amendment, is not required for the following:
(1) An extension of facilities as described in PURA §37.052(a)
and (b);
(2) A new electric high voltage switching station,
or substation;
(3) The repair or reconstruction of a transmission
facility due to emergencies. The repair or reconstruction of a transmission
facility due to emergencies should proceed without delay or prior
approval of the commission and must be reported to the commission
in accordance with §25.83 of this title;
(4) The construction or upgrading of distribution facilities
within the electric utility's service area;
(5) Routine activities associated with transmission
facilities that are conducted by transmission service providers. Nothing
contained in the following subparagraphs should be construed as a
limitation of the commission's authority as set forth in PURA. Any
activity described in the following subparagraphs must be reported
to the commission in accordance with §25.83 of this title. The
commission may require additional facts or call a public hearing thereon
to determine whether a certificate of convenience and necessity is
required. Routine activities are defined as follows:
(A) The modification, construction, or extension of
a transmission line that connects existing transmission facilities
to a substation or metering point provided that:
(i) the transmission line modification, construction,
or extension does not exceed:
(I) three miles if the line connects to a load-serving
substation or metering point; or
(II) two miles if the line connects to a generation
substation or metering point; and
(ii) all rights-of-way necessary for the modification,
construction, or extension have been acquired, and
(iii) all landowners whose property is directly affected
by the transmission line, as defined in §22.52(a)(3) of this
title, have given written consent for the modification, construction,
or extension. If the transmission line modification, construction,
or extension does not exceed one mile to provide service to a substation
or metering point, written consent is only required by landowners
whose property is crossed by the transmission line.
(B) The rebuilding, replacement, or respacing of structures
along an existing route of the transmission line; upgrading to a higher
voltage not greater than 230 kV; bundling of conductors or reconductoring
of an existing transmission facility, provided that:
(i) no additional right-of-way is required; or
(ii) if additional right-of-way is required, all landowners
of property crossed by the electric facilities have given prior written
consent.
(C) The installation, on an existing transmission line,
of an additional circuit not previously certificated, provided that:
(i) the additional circuit is not greater than 230
kV; and
Cont'd... |
