$1 billion electricity line to run through South Texas

[TexasTowelie]

In January, Texans broke a record set in February 2011 for energy use as those used to warmer temperatures cranked up heaters, putting aging electricity infrastructure statewide at risk for rolling blackouts.

The 2011 cold snap prompted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission to approve a new $1 billion line for the Rio Grande Valley, where more than 1.3 million people rely on two 20-year-old electricity lines that run down from the Corpus Christi area to North Edinburg and Rio Hondo.

Because the line would theoretically reduce congestion on the state power grid, the $1 billion will be borne out by all electricity users in the state.

The line, which is set to be completed in 2016, is part of the Cross Valley Project, headed by American Electric Power Texas and its affiliate, Electric Transmission Texas.

Read more: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/valley/article_9da6b2de-32b7-11e4-8b01-0017a43b2370.html

[kentauros]

1. I'm recommending this

because, hopefully, it will spur investment into refurbishing the entire grid. As more wind-turbines are added, that also puts a strain on a grid that can't handle too much input.

I may have to read up on the "smart grid" to know whether or not that would help in either situation...