Developing America’s Next-Generation Energy Infrastructure

Watch to learn more about how Pecos West will connect the Texas grid.

Pecos West, up to 200-miles-long, is a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission line that will provide a critical link between existing infrastructure in the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Western Interconnection. Pecos West will use HVDC technology to carry all sources of electrical power generation, allow for the bi-directional flow of power, and enable Texas electricity generators to access more customers without triggering jurisdictional oversight from the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC).

Project Benefits

Project Location

Pecos West will be up to 200 miles long, extending from an existing substation in ERCOT’s Far West Texas region to an existing substation in El Paso.

Click to Enlarge

The Case for Reliability

As a critical link between two independent grids, ERCOT and the Western Interconnection, Pecos West will provide much needed reliability benefits to the State of Texas.

With growing demand and increasingly frequent extreme weather events, like Winter Storm Uri and the summer 2019 heat wave, the Texas power grid faces challenges in supplying reliable power to consumers. As an independent power grid, ERCOT has limited connections to neighboring grids. Texas’ constrained transmission system provides few options for reliable power during emergencies.

By linking geographically and meteorologically diverse grids, Pecos West will enhance and strengthen both systems, offering access to cheaper, more reliable, and secure energy to Texas consumers.

Landowner Relations

Our relationships with landowners and communities is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to developing Pecos West using a collaborative process and conducting easement negotiations in a manner that is respectful of private property rights.

Project Status

Pecos West is in the routing and development phase. We have identified a preliminary study area for the project and will continue to gather input from stakeholders as we develop routing options. Using this stakeholder input, we will finalize our routing analysis and initiate regulatory filings.

Construction would commence after Pecos West obtains the necessary regulatory approvals and secures land rights. The line is expected to be operational in the early 2030s.