Published: January 26, 2007 09:36 am         

Reliability concerns driving force behind power line proposal

KEYSER - Two of the most often asked questions concerning a proposed high-voltage power line to be constructed through the region were answered by Allegheny Energy officials at a Keyser Rotary Club meeting Thursday.

Why can't a new line be put underground?

According to Charlie Friddle of Allegheny Energy, the first reason is that the United States has no experience with high-voltage underground lines though they are used in other parts of the world for short distances. The second reason is that when such a line is put underground it loses capacity, so more lines would have to be used to achieve the needed capacity and the cost to do it would be about 10 times greater.

Why can't Allegheny Energy upgrade its existing line without putting in a new one?

According to Allen Staggers, communications officer with Allegheny Energy, the line would have to be taken out of service and that would mean shutting off power to too many customers for too long a time.

Friddle said that once an alternative - the new line - is in place, the company would be able to do upgrades and maintenance on the existing line, but they can't shut it down now to do it.

Friddle and Staggers provided a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed line the company is working to site through the region as requested by PJM Interconnection, the grid operator that provides power transmission to some 51 million customers in the Northeast.

The line is expected to run from southwestern Pennsylvania to Mount Storm in Grant County, then to Meadowbrook in Virginia and then to an interconnection to end at a Dominion/Loudoun substation in Virginia.

They said that the company is still in the process of gathering data concerning a proposed route for the project and, in fact, are still taking comments from the public concerning a proposed route.

Friddle said that the siting process is slated to take about a year, with several months remaining; then the preferred route will be taken to the state Public Service Commission for more public hearings and approval before the engineering phase can begin, then construction.

He said that PJM has identified a number of reliability problems that are likely to occur by 2011, including potential blackouts and brownouts, if the project is not completed by then.

"Reliability is the issue that's driving the project," he said.

Allegheny Energy is one of a number of companies that generates power for the grid and has about 20 of the generating facilities of the 1,271 such generating plants that provide power to the grid.

Rotarian Dick Niland asked what would happen if the project is not completed by 2011.

Staggers said the company can take specific areas off line to accommodate an anticipated overload in another area and that would likely occur. Some customers would be without power for short periods, he said.

In response to a question about providing financial incentives to reduce power usage during peak periods, Staggers said there would not be enough savings to offset the need for additional power.

"Conservation is not bad, but in order for it to be meaningful, it would probably have to be mandatory, and even then it would be doubtful that enough could be saved to make up for the projected need for more transmission lines," he said. "I don't see somebody in humid 90-degree weather volunteering to turn off their air conditioner."

Rotarian Terry Stephens asked about incentives in new construction.

Staggers said that there are none now. "There is also concern that incentives could result in customers subsidizing other customers."

Rotarian Tim Michael said there are already some incentives in the tax code. "They are small but they are there," he said.

In response to a question concerning electric cost increases to local residents, Staggers said that West Virginia customers would see a smaller share of the cost increase to fund the project than those where demand is highest.

"The FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) will allocate the cost," he said.

Stephens also asked about whether the line could follow construction of Corridor H and Staggers replied that "it might be suitable in some areas but not others" and it would have to be studied.

For more information, log on to aptrailinfo.com and pjm.com.

Mona Ridder can be reached at mridder@times-news.com.