Hunter to McCarty Lane, Transmission Line Rebuild/Upgrades (T324)

PEC will rebuild and upgrade the single circuit portion of the existing 1.6-mile 138 kV transmission line that connects the Hunter Substation to the McCarty Substation, in Hays County. Upgrades are scheduled to begin in the winter of 2023 and are estimated to be completed by summer of 2023.

This project replaces existing wood pole structures with new steel pole structures to meet the structural strength requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code. The rebuild will take place within an area currently occupied by the transmission line. The new steels poles will also be better able to withstand adverse weather conditions than the existing wood poles. The existing shield wire, which protects the transmission lines from lightning, will also be replaced with an optical ground wire to enable improved relay coordination and supervisory control of substations.

New larger conductors will increase the capacity of the transmission system serving PEC members and other electric consumers in Central Texas. This project will help meet the area’s growing demand for electrical power, improve system reliability, and reduce current ongoing maintenance costs.