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\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n
Oncor sued the City of Lubbock and Lubbock Power & Light on January 12 for a court order to stop part of a fourth connection between Lubbock and ERCOT in West Lubbock \u2013 nicknamed the \u201cWest Loop\u201d in public records.<\/p>\n
Matt Rose, the chief public affairs officer for LP&L, would not comment on the lawsuit but briefly explained the project, describing it as, \u201cvital to the future success of the Lubbock electrical grid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA prospective 345 kV transmission line is currently being studied by ERCOT as a necessary addition to the regional electrical grid \u2026 greatly increasing the reliability and resiliency of the electrical system that delivers power to Lubbock citizens,\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n
LP&L\u2019s public records online said West Loop upgrades are estimated to cost $51.4 million in the first year with another $16 million in the next year.<\/p>\n
The upgrades include rebuilding five different transmission lines inside the city plus a new 345 kV to 115 kV Alcove switching station. The Alcove switching station is the heart of the dispute \u2013 not the five lines inside the city.<\/p>\n
Why does Lubbock need the Alcove station? ERCOT operates at 345 kilovolts. But LP&L\u2019s system operates mostly at 115 kilovolts (with some 69 kV lines too). This requires a 345-to-115 step down to connect with each other. That\u2019s what the Alcove station will do and it\u2019s something Oncor claimed Lubbock cannot own.<\/p>\n
LubbockLights.com reached out to an Oncor spokesman Thursday, but by late Friday morning, the company had not responded.<\/p>\n
Introducing the players<\/p>\n
ERCOT is the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. It\u2019s the power grid manager for most of the state.<\/p>\n
Oncor is a Dallas-based electric delivery company \u2013 with more than 144,000 miles of transmission line in Texas.<\/p>\n
Sharyland was the transmission company that helped connect Lubbock to ERCOT. Oncor bought out Sharyland and with it an LP&L contract.<\/p>\n
Money is not the issue. Ownership and control are. The lawsuit specifically said Oncor is not seeking money except for court costs and attorney fees.<\/p>\n
Does Lubbock have the right to go forward with a power station that converts 345 kilovolt power (on ERCOT) down to 115 kilovolts inside the city? That\u2019s the question.<\/p>\n
LubbockLights.com was not able to see if LP&L has the right to own all or a percentage of the fourth connection to ERCOT.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit specifically withheld a copy of a contract between Oncor and LP&L. And the text of the lawsuit also blacked out quotes from the contract \u2013 explaining they are confidential.<\/p>\n
Quoting from the lawsuit<\/p>\n
\u201cFor clarification, Oncor is not contending that LP&L cannot build certain future 115 kV station(s) for load serving purposes. However, because the lines at issue in this case are 345 kV voltage and, thus, require a 345 kV switching station to be built in order for the voltage to be stepped-down to 115 kV for load serving purposes, this dispute specifically pertains to the ownership of 345 kV transmission station(s).\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: Oncor\u2019s lawsuit against Lubbock \u2013 case D-1-GN-26-000237 in the 98th State District Court in Travis County.<\/p>\n
The original contract was with Sharyland Utilities. The lawsuit said Oncor took the \u201crights and obligations\u201d of the contract in August 2018.<\/p>\n
Oncor and LP&L tried to come to an agreement about \u201cfuture construction and ownership of the facilities,\u201d the lawsuit said. But the two sides still do not agree.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout these communications, LP&L has asserted that it is entitled to own, not only future transmission lines, but also any future stations under [the contract],\u201d the lawsuit claimed.<\/p>\n
Oncor claims it has the right to decide whether to develop new transmission lines and only then can LP&L exercise \u201cdevelopment rights.\u201d It also claimed Lubbock confused lines for stations in its interpretation of the contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cLP&L\u2019s future development rights are contractual in nature and only exist for future transmission lines \u2013 not stations,\u201d the lawsuit stated.<\/p>\n
LP&L has not yet filed its side of the story in court records.<\/p>\n
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