Texas to Spend on Transmission Lines

Part and parcel with energy generation is the distribution of that energy to households and businesses. As renewable energy sources - such as wind and solar - come online, wires, pipes and more will have to be built to transmit that energy. Take Texas for example:

Texas likes getting energy from wind, but drawing that power from the middle of nowhere in West Texas to more populated regions is going to be expensive. Despite the hefty price tag, construction on new transmission lines should begin by the end of 2009.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas met today to discuss a report released last week by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), outlining the costs and possibilities for constructing the new lines. According to that report, the state could spend between $2.95 billion and $6.38 billion building new transmission lines.

Part of the problem is the sheer size of the state. Miles of wire and substations are required along the way. Another issue is the variability of wind power. It’s a complex issue and ERCOT looked at four different transmission strategies.

It's not going to be cheap, but it will be built. I'll also note the little jab about the understated costs of sprawl. Population density is a good thing.