Archie D.

Pugh, PE, PMP

American Electric Power
EEI Conference

October 7, 2013
 Energized 345kV Re-Conductor Project in South Texas
Archie D. Pugh, PE, PMP
American Electric Power
EEI Conference; October 7, 2013

On February 3, 2011, loading in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas hit an all-time high of 2,734MW
due to cold temperatures causing record loads. The high loading along with transmission import limitations and a
reduced generation supply due to forced and planned outages moved operators to manual load shedding to
prevent overload of the 345kV transmission system and potential cascading outages.

In September 2011, ERCOT recommended system improvements to address the problem, part of which included
the reconductoring two existing 345kV lines, 251 miles total, that generally run from the Corpus Christi area, south
to the lower Rio Grande Valley. Due to clearance constraints, this project was approved to be completed while
the lines remain in-service. The magnitude of this energized re-conductor project makes it the largest of its kind in
the world as well as the largest single installation of advanced conductor (ACCC). The project was projected to
cost $525M and would nearly double the ampacity of the two transmission lines.

AEP embarked upon a comprehensive line inspection program that assessed each structure, insulation, conductor
hardware and foundations to identify structure upgrades and enhancements prior to the reconductoring. Once
these upgrades are completed, the reconductoring is performed while the circuits remained energized. This
presentation will highlight all aspects of the project including the overall scope of work, inspection program and
energized reconductor process.
 AEP Transmission Footprint
- 39,000 Miles of Transmission – Largest in the Nation
- Nearly 38,000MW of Generation

AEP owns and operates facilities in

3-Region Transmission Organizations (RTO’s)
and delivers investment and growth
opportunities:
 Seven state based operating companies in
eleven states;
 Seven wholly owned, state based
transmission-only companies (Transcos)
 Project specific joint ventures and ETT
 Transource, AEP’s competitive transmission
affiliate

PLANS, ENGINEERS, CONSTRUCTS, OPERATES AND MAINTAINS

…Largest Transmission System in the Country!

I. NEED
 Population Drivers

 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

signed between the United States, Canada and
Mexico.
 Became effective January 1, 1994.
 Migrating retirees or “Snow Birds”
Impact to Transmission Grid
 Since 1996, Peak Load Increased 80%
 Traditionally Winter Peaking
 Record in 2010 of 2378MW
 Predicted to grow 3000MW by 2020
 The Winter of 2011
 During February 2-5, 2001,
temperatures dropped to freezing
 May not seem cold, HOWEVER, 99% of
homes and businesses were all electric
 New Peak Demand of 2730MW
 Exceeded 2011 Summer Peak by 500MW
 ERCOT Approved Solution
 Build a 345kV line from the Laredo area
to North Edinburg (ETT) ~154 miles
 Reconductor (while still in service) both
345kV lines currently serving the LRGV
with equivalent size ACCC conductor.
 Upgrade all associated main Station
Busses to 5kA and Rung Busses to 4kA
 Reconfigure Series Capacitors to double
rating
 Lon Hill to Rio
Hondo & Lon Hill to
North Edinburg
345-kV
Reconductor
Project
 Project Priority

 The Laredo area line was deemed critical by

ERCOT, thus reducing CCN approval time
 All Reconductor work must be accomplished
prior to energization of the new Laredo area
line.
 All projects have early to mid 2016 ISDs.
 II. ENERGIZED
RECONDUCTOR
 Magnitude
 Largest Energized Reconductor in the World
 LARGEST INSTALLATION OF ACCC

Process
 Basically consists of installing a “D” phase on the edge of
right-of-way
 Physically moving the outside phase to the “D” position.
 Install New Conductor in the vacant position
 Electrically move the next phase load to the new Conductor
 Repeat until all phases done.
Conductor Selection
 ACCC
Conductor
TITLE
...Provides Full Time Resource for
Project Duration
III. INSPECTION
 Need for Inspection

 Transmission line vintage

 Lon Hill–North Edinburg 345kV (1979, 34 years)
 Lon Hill–Nelson Sharpe–Ajo–Rio Hondo 345kv
(1980, 33 years)
 Historic performance in coastal environment
 Maintain design for hurricane winds
Inspection Findings
Crossarms
Pole Base
Inspection Challenges
Killer Bees
Killer Bees
IV. CONSTRUCTION
 Construction
 Contracted with Quanta Energized Services
& North Houston Pole Line in 2012
 Were able to complete a 1-month outage in
November 2012
 Installed Transposition Structures and
additional Dead-Ends
 Completed Rehab and reconductored the
first 12 miles
 Energized work started in January 2013
 Construction Sequence
 Broken into 5 Line Segments
 1st segment: (Rio Hondo-Ajo) is 62 miles
(currently 70% complete)
 Station work has started at Rio Hondo
 Schedule and Cost

Valley 345kV Reconductor Schedule (Feb 20, 2012)

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Inspectio Inspection
n Program Continued

Updated Target Completion Date July, 2016.

Lon Hill - North Edinburg North Edinburg - Lon Hill Lon Hill - Nelson Sharpe
Ajo - Rio Hondo 68 Miles Ajo - Nelson Sharpe 36 Miles
Segment #1 63 Miles Segment #2 63 Miles 21 Miles
Replacements (4)

Replacements (6)
Edinburg Breaker
Lon Hill & North
Reconductor
Mobilization

Rio Hondo
Breaker
Start of

Outage
Outage

Outage

Outage

Outage
PROCUREMENT

LH - NE Delivery

LH - NE Delivery

LH - NS Delivery
A - RH Delivery

A - NS Delivery

Lobo - North Edinburg 345kV Transmission Line

Permanent & Temporary
Dead-Ends
OPEN INVITATION TO VISIT!