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Thu, Jul. 17, 2008
Texas officials approve $4.9 billion wind-energy project

By JIM VERTUNO
The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas | Texas utility officials gave preliminary approval Thursday for what experts say is the biggest investment in the clean and renewable energy in U.S. history.

Officials cleared the way for a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from gusty West Texas to urban areas like Dallas.

“People think about oil wells and football in Texas, but in 10 years they’ll look back and say this was a brilliant thing to do,” said Patrick Woodson, vice president of E.ON Climate & Renewables North America, which has about 1,200 megawatts of wind projects in use or on the drawing board in Texas.

Texas is already the national leader in wind power, generating about 5,000 megawatts. But wind-energy advocates say the lack of transmission lines has kept a lot of that power from being put to use.

Supporters say the 2-1 Texas Public Utility Commission vote is critical to getting that energy to more people.

“We will add more wind than the 14 states following Texas combined,” said PUC Commissioner Paul Hudson. “I think that’s a very extraordinary achievement.”

Most of Texas’ wind-energy production is in West Texas. The new plan would not directly build a slew of turbines, but it would add transmission lines capable of moving about 18,000 megawatts. One expert said that is enough to power more than 4 million homes.

Supporters predict the plan will spur new wind power projects, create jobs, reduce pollution and lower energy costs.

Texas electric customers will bear the cost of construction over the next several years, paying about $3 or $4 more per month on their bills, said Tom Smith, state director of the consumer group Public Citizen. But he predicted that increase would easily be offset by lower energy prices.

Smith called Texas’ current transmission lines a “two-lane dirt road” compared to the “renewable energy superhighway” the plan would build.

The plan still needs to receive final approval later this year from the PUC. The transmission lines would not be up and running for three to five years. Environmentalists and landowners have launched protests against wind turbines, saying that they spoil views and threaten migrating birds.

But the turbines are already in West Texas, a sparsely populated region already pockmarked with oil drilling and exploration equipment. And this project will build only transmission lines.