Entergy Texas, Inc. Seeks to Amend Certificate of Convenience and Necessity for SeTex Area Reliability Project

Strategic Insights -

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has issued an application from Entergy Texas, Inc. to amend its certificate of convenience and necessity for the SeTex Area Reliability project. The project involves a 500 kV transmission line project, which is a higher voltage transmission line than any transmission line CCN project approved in Texas for the area served in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The total cost estimate of this project far exceeds a billion dollars. The Dunwoody Family supports granting of Entergy Texas, Inc.'s application, provided that the approved route utilizes Running Bear Substation Site Option D.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed 500 kV transmission line project is necessary to solve a North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) violation on the Entergy transmission system.
  • The Babel to Running Bear transmission line project has been approved as the Corrective Action Plan to resolve the identified NERC violation by the Midcontinent Independent System Administrator (MISO).
  • The proposed transmission facilities support the reliability and adequacy of the interconnected transmission system and facilitate robust wholesale competition.
  • Nine out of ten Focus Routes utilize Running Bear Substation Site Option D and present many reasonable routing options that are optimal for this proposed 500 kV transmission line project.
  • The use of Running Bear Substation Site Option D results in overall shorter routes, leading to fewer acres of transmission line right-of-way and fewer overall land acres used for building the project.
  • The proposed transmission line project will add resiliency benefits to Entergy's customers, avoid the risks to the dam at Dunwoody Lake designated by the TCEQ as a significant hazard dam, and result in shorter transmission line routes.
  • The selection of Running Bear substation options also has implications for several of the specific routing criteria and, therefore, this analysis is also applicable to engineering constraints and probability of improving service.

Statistics:

  • The total cost estimate of the project exceeds $1 billion.
  • The proposed 500 kV transmission line project is a higher voltage transmission line than any transmission line CCN project approved in Texas for the area served in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
  • The project spans over 140 miles in length, regardless of the route approved.
  • Nine out of ten Focus Routes utilize Running Bear Substation Site Option D.
  • Running Bear Substation Site Option D avoids crossing Interstate 45 and Texas State Highway 75.

Sources:

  • Austin: Public Utility Commission of Texas, Filed Date - 2025-05-21 02:40:30 PM, Control Number - 57648, Item Number - 786, SOAH DOCKET NO. 473-25-12927, PUC DOCKET NO. 57648
  • Austin: Public Utility Commission of Texas, SOAH Order No. 2, Memorializing Prehearing Conference, Addressing Intervenors, Adopting Procedural Schedule, Setting Hearing on the Merits, Court Reporter Requirements, and Establishing Pre- and Post-Hearing Requirements, at 4 (Mar. 10, 2025)
  • Dunwoody-Moran Ex. 3 (Anderson Reb.), Attachment MA-1R (Bates pp. 013-228)