BRAZOS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Dobbin 345 Project

David Albers, P.E. Manager – System Planning

Project Description - Background

• Construct the Dobbin 345 kV switching station in CenterPoint’s Roans Prairie to Kuykendahl 345 kV line and associated 138 kV facilities to serve as the backbone transmission network to connect existing, new and future load serving substations.

• It is anticipated that this project will take a number of years to complete in various phases in cooperation with other entities including LCRA TSC, CenterPoint, San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Entergy, Mid-South Synergy, and Bryan Texas Utilities. The area under study is located in Montgomery, Grimes,

Waller, and Brazos counties.

•

Project Purpose

• Provide a reliable transmission system for continued load growth in Mid South Synergy’s service area in and around the Conroe area to the north of the Woodlands.

• Provide for improved transmission service to Mid South Synergy’s customers by moving load serving substations onto ERCOT transmission facilities off of Entergy.

• Provide a reliable source to serve future load in San Bernard’s service territory to the north of the Macedonia substation.

Purpose cont.

• Provide transmission service to a new Mid South Synergy load serving substation to the southeast of the Bryan/College Station area along Highway 6 and to any future possible substations.

• Provide a third transmission circuit into a significant load area in Grimes and Waller counties with connection to the LCRA Macedonia substation.

• Provide a means for increased connectivity between ERCOT and Entergy to allow quicker restoration of load during emergency conditions to help satisfy PURA.

Load forecast

Substation   2009 2009/2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

    KW KW KW KW KW KW KW KW

                 

DEER LAKE       9392 9674 9964 10263 10571

DOBBIN 12460 15700 15162 15617 16086 16568 17065 17577

FISH CREEK 1 3700 3780 11145 7333 8492 10657 13827 6002

FISH CREEK 2               10500

HIGHWAY 6             5134 5288

SOTA 7170 9510 9128 9402 9684 9974 7048 7259

SPRING BRANCH 5750 9440 9204 9480 9765 10058 10360 10670

HOCKLEY 56000   61600 64800 65600 68000 70500 73100

MACEDONIA 17600   18300 19100 19800 20600 21400 22200

SEAWAY 15900   14700 14900 15100 15300 15500 15800

Cost Analysis ($ in millions)

• 345/138 kV Dobbin switching station $12.0• 7.2-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV Dobbin to San Bernard tap $3.9 • 7.5-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV San Bernard tap to Sota $4.1• 12-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV Sota to Highway 6 $6.5 • 5-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV Highway 6 to Millican $2.7 • 15.6-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV Dobbin to Fish Creek $8.4• 16-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV San Bernard tap to Macedonia $8.6• 138 kV Switching station $2.7• 4-mile, 959 ACSS, 138 kV Millican to Wellborn $2.2

• Total $51.1

• Note: Cost estimates shown above are based on most recent costs for new transmission line construction plus a 3% adder per year for inflation and include a 20% adder for R.O.W.

Alternatives Considered

• Radial service– Radial to new Hwy 6 substation from BTU 69 kV line.– Radial 138 line from LCRA to Mid South substations.– Radial 138 line from new Dobbin auto station.

• Entergy options– Rebuild existing circuits for double circuit ERCOT/Entergy

operation.– Purchase Entergy facilities, move to ERCOT.– Move Entergy facilities to ERCOT.

Review of Comments/Concerns

• Economically justifiable?

• Congestion Impact?

• Cost Recovery?

• RPG approval?

Questions?