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IEEE Power and Energy Society |
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| Phoenix Chapter |
| September 2008 Luncheon Meeting |
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| Date: |
Thursday, September 18, 2008 |
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| Location: |
APS Deer Valley Building N-1, Conference Room E (map) |
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2124 W. Cheryl Dr. |
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Phoenix, AZ |
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| Speaker: |
Bob Smith, Director, Transmission and Distribution Maintenance Department, Arizona Public Service Company |
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| Topic: |
TransWest Express Project Update |
Summary:
Mr. Smith provided an overview of the history and current status of the Transwest Express Project. 30 persons attended, including the speaker. Photos from the luncheon are available here, here, and here.
In October of 2005, APS announced that it' was undertaking a feasibility analysis for a new transmission project from Wyoming to the Desert Southwest, the "TransWest Express Project, which would allow APS and other utilities in the Desert Southwest and Southern California to access coal, wind and other resources in Wyoming.
APS conducted the feasibility analysis in an open stakeholder process during 2006. The analysis showed that a bi-pole 500kV DC transmission system capable of 3000MW was the most economic and technically feasible option. The analysis also showed that there were a number of viable routing alternatives from a permitting standpoint. Because APS was only looking at the potential of 1000MW to 1500MW of resources from Wyoming, an effort was also undertaken to sign up partners including a project manager. Interest in the project was expressed by SRP, TEP, SCE, National Grid, as well as several independent entities interested in managing the project.
In early 2007 PacifiCorp announced plans for an AC transmission system from Wyoming to Southern Nevada, the Gateway South Project. In August 2007, APS, PacifiCorp, National Grid, and the Wyoming Infrastructure executed a Co-development Agreement to allow co-development of the two projects. Significant progress has been made in the areas of permitting and WECC Regional Planning and Rating Process.
Biography:
Bob Smith is presently the Director of the Transmission and Distribution Maintenance Department at Arizona Public Service Company in Phoenix. He has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Arizona. Bob has worked in the electric industry and for APS for 22 years in the areas of Transmission Planning, Construction and Maintenance, and Transmission and Control Area Operations. Bob has represented APS in several regional planning forums and has been extensively involved in WECC activities including two years chairing the WECC Compliance Monitoring and Operating Practices Subcommittee. In October of 2005, he was designated Project Manager of APS’ TransWest Express Project. Bob can be reached by email at robert.smith@aps.com, by phone at (602) 371-6505, and by fax at (602) 371-6810.
(Last modified: Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 @ 15:26:24 Webmaster)