The project is being developed to add a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission tie between ERCOT in Texas and the transmission grid deep in the southeastern US by 2019.
Pattern Development CEO Mike Garland said, "Southern Cross is an innovative transmission project that will allow Texas to share its abundant low-cost wind energy resources with its neighbor states to the southeast."
"We appreciate the assistance we’ve received from the many parties in Texas who worked with us on securing this order and are excited to now be able to move forward with this unique project which will create jobs and economic development in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi," Garland added.
The project will share renewable energy resources between states and also provide significant reliability and economic benefits by connecting two robust systems."
The orders issued by FERC on May 15, 2014 followed a compliance filing earlier this year and are in response to applications initially filed by Pattern Development in September 2011.
The Commission announced four orders: 1) directing the City of Garland, Texas to interconnect with Southern Cross; 2) directing Oncor Electric Delivery Company and CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric to provide transmission service for power flows into and out of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas; 3) approving an associated Offer of Settlement among the parties; and 4) affirming that neither the order nor the offer of settlement would cause ERCOT, Oncor, CenterPoint, or any other ERCOT utility or other entity that is not already a public utility.
