Sharyland Utilities' New Infrastructure Will Carry Electricity 300 Miles from Wind Farms to Urban Markets in Texas

Black & Veatch is helping Sharyland Utilities develop about 300 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. The project includes four collection stations and five transmission line segments. The new lines will carry electricity generated by abundant wind energy from the Texas Panhandle and South Plains to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and other major markets.

The project is part of a state-led effort known as the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) process. The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) selected Sharyland to construct the new CREZ facilities.

Fiber Optic Communications Network

Black & Veatch is performing detailed engineering of substation design, telecommunications, transmission line engineering, and substation integration and automation systems. Black & Veatch’s modular approach includes switchyards that are expandable and provide flexibility for future upgrades.

Black & Veatch aided Sharyland’s application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) with testimony before the PUC. Sharyland also retained Black & Veatch as owner’s engineer for design engineering, procurement support and construction observation.

The project’s telecommunications component uses a fiber-based optical transport network (OTN), which ensures greater reliability and security. Substations use local area networks and a carrier-class OTN to transport information. Long fiber optic runs eliminate the need for repeater stations, thereby reducing equipment and maintenance costs.

Fiber lines, which are being installed atop power transmission lines, speed communications between substations and network controls. Further, the fiber lines serve as grounding wires where lightning is prevalent.