Who is NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest?

NEET Southwest is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission, a leading competitive transmission company that develops, finances, constructs and operates transmission assets across North America. NEET subsidiaries own and operate high-voltage transmission assets in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, California, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire and Ontario, Canada.

 

What is the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Transmission Line Project?

The Wolf Creek-Blackberry Transmission Line Project is a proposed approximately 94-mile, single circuit, 345 kV transmission line project connecting the existing Wolf Creek Substation in Coffey County, Kansas to the Blackberry Substation in Jasper County, Missouri. NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest (NEET Southwest) was selected to construct the project by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). This is a public utility project that will have a proposed 150-foot-wide easement with typical above-ground transmission line structures of approximately 110 feet tall.

 

What is Southwest Power Pool (SPP)?

SPP is a regional transmission organization (RTO), based in Little Rock, Arkansas, that ensures reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members. SPP oversees the bulk electric transmission grid and the wholesale power market in the central United States on behalf of a diverse group of utilities and transmission companies in 17 states, including Kansas and portions of Missouri. SPP is responsible for planning for the long-term transmission needs throughout its footprint.

 

How will Kansas and Missouri Benefit from the Project?

The Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project benefits Kansas and Missouri customers by relieving transmission congestion and by more efficiently delivering more cost-effective power to load centers in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. According to SPP, the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project is expected to provide approximately $23.7 million in congestion savings in its first year and an additional $88 million to $377 million in savings over the next 40 years. SPP’s studies indicated that the project will reduce customer bills in the region.

The Project will also result in investments in the communities along the line including construction jobs, long-term operations and maintenance jobs in the area and approximately $28 million in property tax payments.

The Project benefits both Kansas and Missouri by lowering overall energy costs, removing inefficiency, relieving transmission congestion delivering power to customers in the surrounding area of both states and improving the reliability and resiliency of the transmission system.

 

Is this project supporting the state of Kansas or is all the power being taken out of the state?

As determined by SPP studies and confirmed by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), the purpose of the Project is not to ship power outside of Kansas to the benefit of neighboring states or other RTOs. The Project will benefit both Kansas and Missouri customers by lowering overall energy costs, removing inefficiency, relieving transmission congestion and improving the reliability of the transmission system.

 

Where will the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project be located?

The Project is currently proposed to be located across five counties in southeastern Kansas and two counties in western Missouri.

 

What is the expected schedule for the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project?

NEET Southwest has obtained a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity for the Project from the Kansas Corporation Commission and a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity from the Missouri Public Service Commission. NEET Southwest also plans to submit an application for line siting approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission in Q4 2022.

 

Where can I find a copy of NEET Southwest’s regulatory filings for the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project?

NEET Southwest’s regulatory filings to date are available online on the websites of NEET Southwest, the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Missouri Public Service Commission:

 

What will the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project look like?

NEET Southwest plans to build the project using primarily spun concrete monopoles. Typical structure heights are expected to be approximately 110 feet tall above ground and have spans between poles of 900 feet on average.

 

How is NEET Southwest acquiring land for the project?

NEET Southwest is currently reaching out to landowners along the currently proposed route to negotiate voluntary transmission easement options. Once the final route is approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Missouri Public Service Commission, NEET Southwest will exercise options and obtain additional land rights as needed.

 

How will NEET Southwest compensate landowners from which it obtains easements?

Affected landowners will receive a yearly option payment and a signing bonus after signing the option/easement agreement. When NEET Southwest exercises the Option, landowners will be paid by the acre for the estimated acreage of the transmission line on the property. The final acreage will be determined by an as-built survey after construction.

 

Does this project have the possibility of condemnation?

Although NEET Southwest will be able to exercise eminent domain to obtain lands for the project, NEET Southwest is committed to early engagement with landowners and would like to negotiate amicable agreements wherever possible.

 

How will the Wolf Creek-Blackberry Project affect my property value?

Generally, impacts to a landowner’s property value should be very minimal, if at all, for affected landowners along the proposed route.

 

How does NEET Southwest access land prior to construction for testing and surveying?

NEET Southwest’s land representatives try to provide as much notice as possible before survey teams enter your property. In most cases NEET Southwest will provide notification 24-48 hours in advance of a team's arrival. Any special access requirements (e.g., parking of vehicles, gate access) should be communicated to NEET Southwest’s land team so they can coordinate with the surveying teams.

 

Will survey crews contact landowners for consultation and discussion?

Yes. Landowners will be contacted for survey permission and notification by NEET Southwest’s land representatives.

 

What is geotechnical boring?

Geotechnical boring is an activity that collects soil core samples to confirm an area is safe for the construction of transmission line structure foundations. Boring is completed using a small drill rig, which will use a hollow stem auger to a depth of approximately 30-50 feet to create a borehole. Soil cores will be collected and analyzed in a laboratory to determine the structural integrity of the ground. Boreholes are approximately 6 inches in diameter and are backfilled immediately with clean fill.

 

Will my property be rehabilitated after the borehole is drilled?

Yes, the borehole will be backfilled immediately after soil cores are collected, and rehabilitation will be completed by a separate team who will arrive shortly after boring completion.

 

What will be the impact to the roads during construction, will they be fixed after the project is complete, how long after construction will NEET Southwest be making upgrades/repairs?

NEET Southwest is planning to enter Road Use Agreements with each county along the route that will govern use, maintenance and any necessary repairs to the roads. Any necessary repairs will be made in a timely fashion and at the expense of NEET Southwest.

 

What can I expect to see during the construction of the project?

After beginning construction, NEET Southwest will take the following actions:

  •  Preparation of the ROW:
    • Tree clearing
    • Staking of the edges of the ROW and pole locations
    • Locating of underground utilities
       
  • Pole installation:
    • Flatbed trucks delivering poles
    • Auger trucks and water trucks to dig the holes
    • Concrete trucks if there is a drilled shaft foundation
    • Crane to install the pole in the hole
       
  • Restoration:
    • Cleaning up soil that was removed from the hole
    • Re-sodding if there was sod there before, flattening out of ruts made during construction activities
    • Returning the site to pre-construction conditions, or better
       

How long is the construction process expected to take?

Project construction duration is expected to last approximately 17 months from start to finish.

 

If my crops are being damaged, how am I going to be compensated for the damage?

Landowners will be paid for damages caused by NEET Southwest or one of its contractors during survey, construction, or maintenance.

 

Can I still farm in the right of way that we agreed to with NEET Southwest?

Generally, yes. NEET Southwest will work with individual landowners in order to ensure that farming and ranching activities can continue safely in the transmission easement.

 

How often will NEET Southwest visit the easement throughout the year?

NEET Southwest expects that the following maintenance and inspection activities will occur on a regular basis, once the line is in service:

  • A line inspection patrol will occur twice annually either by ground or aerial. The related ground activity will be 1-3 persons using light pick-up/flatbed trucks or ATV (all-terrain vehicles). Line patrols are expected to occur in the spring and fall.

  • A detailed inspection of line structures and hardware will occur every six years. The work team is expected to include a foreman who would run a crew mix of approximately ten journeymen and apprentices’ depending on the scope of the work needed. The crew vehicles would include 2-3 pick-up trucks and 4-5 boom/bucket trucks.

  • A vegetation patrol will occur once annually across the route. Vegetation maintenance crews are expected to include a supervisor who would run a crew of approximately fifteen. The vegetation crew vehicles typically include 1-2 pick-up trucks and 5-7 boom/bucket trucks.

In addition, in the event of a severe weather event, an inspection to evaluate the status of the line (emergency repairs) will occur once the storm has passed.

NEET Southwest would also undertake emergency repairs as needed. Those repairs could include minor activities on equipment up to a partial rebuild of the line following for example tornado damage.

During a typical year, depending on storms and vegetation management needs landowners may see:

  • One aircraft patrol
  • One ATV/foot patrol (1-3 persons)
  • One vegetation activity (10-man crew, 1-2 pick-up trucks, and 3-4 boom/bucket trucks)
     

What is EMF, and is it harmful to my family, myself, my crops and my animals?

The use of electricity in our everyday lives creates electric and magnetic fields (EMF). Common sources of EMF are:

  • Wiring in our homes and schools
  • Power lines and utility facilities that bring electricity to us
  • Electrical equipment and devices we use at work and home, such as appliances, TVs and computers

Some of the most prestigious U.S. and international scientific organizations have evaluated the EMF research. None of these organizations have found that exposure to power frequency EMF causes or contributes to cancer or any other disease or illness.

Additional sources of EMF information:

NEET Southwest encourages people who are interested to learn more about EMF. Public information on EMF is available from many sources, including:

Are transmission lines loud and will I hear them in my house?

The sound produced by transmission lines heavily depends primarily on the voltage, conductor size, phase spacing and weather conditions. For newer lines, like the NEET Southwest transmission line, we would expect the sound from the transmission line would generally be the same as or lower than the existing ambient noise at the edge of the transmission line right of way under light rain or fair-weather conditions. The audible sound levels will be consistent with accepted industry practice.
 

Who is NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest?

NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest, LLC (NEET Southwest), is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission, LLC (NEET), the leading competitive electric transmission company in North America.

NEET Southwest is pursuing opportunities to develop, build and operate new transmission facilities to address economic and reliability needs in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) region.
 

What is the Minco-Pleasant Valley-Draper?

The Minco-Pleasant Valley-Draper project entails building an approximately 46-mile, 345-kV transmission line interconnecting the Minco substation in Grady County to the Pleasant Valley and Draper substations in Cleveland County.
 

What is the need for this project?

This project is part of the 2020 Integrated Transmission Plan by SPP that identified projects that could provide a more reliable and cost-effective electric grid that is capable of enabling a rapidly changing generation mix and incorporating new technologies.
 

What are the benefits of this project?

The Minco-Pleasant Valley-Draper project will facilitate the reliable delivery of lower-cost electricity generation from the west to the growing load centers of Norman, Moore and Oklahoma City in the east. The project will also create local employment opportunities throughout construction and operation.
 

What governmental approvals will be required before you build?

Federal, state and county-level permits and approvals will be required to support the construction and operation of the line. NEET Southwest anticipates all approvals to be complete by the end of 2023.
 

What is the proposed timing for this project?

NEET Southwest anticipates that all regulatory approvals and land acquisition will be complete by the end of 2023. Construction will begin following these milestones, with the line expected to be operational by mid-2024.
 

What can I expect to see during the construction of the project?

Construction starts with the preparation of the right-of-way, which entails the installation of erosion controls, clearing vegetation, staking the edges of the right-of-way and pole locations and locating underground utilities. Pole installation occurs next. In this step, flatbed trucks will deliver the poles, auger trucks and water trucks will dig the holes, concrete trucks will be on site for drilled shaft foundations and cranes will install the poles. Finally, the restoration team will work to clean up the soil that has been removed from the holes, reseeding will occur where necessary, ruts will be repaired and the site will be returned to pre-construction conditions, if not better.
 

Why do you need to clear vegetation?

We may be required to clear vegetation in the right-of-way to allow for the construction and safety operation of the new transmission line. Trees outside the right-of-way may also be removed if they are considered a hazard to the line to due decay or defect. Landowners will be provided notice in advance of any such clearing activities. Any incompatible vegetation in the right-of-way that restricts access to the line or does not meet the height requirements will be trimmed or removed.
 

How do you determine which trees need to be removed within the right-of-way?

Trees taller than 14 feet at mature height within the right-of-way that might compromise the safe and reliable operation of the transmission line will need to be removed. In addition, trees beyond the easement area that are in danger of falling into the energized transmission line will be removed or trimmed to eliminate the hazard as allowed by the terms in the acquired landowner easement. 

Low-growing brush or specific tree species that remain below 14 feet at mature height may be allowed at the outer limits of the easement area. In developed areas and to the extent practical, existing low-growing vegetation that will not pose a risk to the transmission line or impede construction or maintenance may remain in the easement area.
 

You are taking out trees we use for deer hunting. What is the impact to transmission lines on hunting? 

The clearing of trees will open up a lane through or along a currently solid block of trees, thus increasing the amount of edge habitat present. Many game species, including the white-tailed deer, prefer this habitat.
 

What will the Minco-Pleasant Valley-Draper project look like?

NEET Southwest plans to build the project primarily using spun concrete monopoles. Typical structure heights are expected to be approximately 125 feet above ground and have spans between poles of 900 feet on average.
 

How often will NEET Southwest visit the easement throughout the year?

Once the line is operational, landowners can expect teams to access the easement only a handful of times per year. Activities include bi-annual line inspection patrol by ground or by air, an annual vegetation patrol with boom/bucket trucks for maintenance and a detailed inspection of line structures and hardware every six years, led by a foreman and a team of journeymen with pick-up trucks and boom/bucket trucks. Additionally, the line must be inspected following any severe weather event to evaluate the status of the line and to conduct necessary repairs.
 

How long is the construction process expected to take?

Project construction is expected to last approximately 8 months.
 

How does NEET Southwest access land prior to construction for testing and surveying?

Landowners will be contacted for survey permission and notification by the land services team. We work to provide as much notice as possible prior to a survey team entering the property. In most cases, landowners receive notice 24 – 48 hours in advance. Any special access requirements, including parking details and gate access, should be communicated by the landowner.
 

Who is NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest?  

NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest, LLC (NEET Southwest), is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission, LLC (NEET), the leading competitive electric transmission company in North America. NEET and its subsidiaries operate approximately 2,200 miles of transmission lines across North America. NEET Southwest was awarded the Crossroads – Hobbs –Roadrunner 345-kV Competitive Upgrade project by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on August 15, 2023. As the designated developer of the project, NEET Southwest is committed to creating long-term relationships in the local community and believes that early engagement with project stakeholders is integral to its success. There will be several opportunities throughout the project for stakeholders to ask questions and provide comments to the project team.

 

What will the project look like?

The project will have a proposed 150-foot easement width with typical above-ground transmission line structures that are on average 120-feet tall. Final design details will be determined based on the final approved routes and the results of technical studies (e.g., geotechnical, environmental) as the project progresses.

 

What environmental considerations were included in the project’s design?

NEET Southwest employs prudent environmental stewardship practices to avoid, minimize and mitigate environmental risk. In anticipation of the project award, NEET Southwest proactively worked with one of the country’s leading biologists to refine the placement of transmission structures and roads to mitigate impacts to wildlife. NEET Southwest also engaged with staff at the New Mexico State Land Office to avoid impacts to known cultural and natural resources.

 

What is the Crossroads – Hobbs – Roadrunner 345-kV Competitive Upgrade project?

The Crossroads – Hobbs – Roadrunner 345-kV Competitive Upgrade project will deliver lower-cost generation to the region by building an approximately 135-mile, double-circuit 345-kV transmission line that interconnects the Crossroads, Hobbs and Roadrunner substations in Roosevelt and Lea counties.

 

What is the proposed timing for this project?

The project requires regulatory and permitting approvals at the federal, state and county levels. NEET Southwest has partnered with the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority to enable the project to meet regulatory compliance requirements for each of these entities in a timely fashion. Assuming timely regulatory approvals, the project is expected to be in service no later than May 2026.

 

What is the need for this project?

This project emerged from SPP’s integrated transmission planning process during which SPP assesses the future transmission needs of its grid to develop transmission solutions that provide the reliable and economic delivery of energy and maximize benefits to customers. The project will not only lower energy prices for customers but will also bring voltage stability to the region.

 

What are the benefits of this project?

The Crossroads – Hobbs – Roadrunner 345-kV Competitive Upgrade project is expected to facilitate the reliable delivery of lower-cost electricity generation to New Mexico customers. The project will also spur job opportunities and investment in the local economy while generating additional opportunities for economic development through the expanded transmission capacity.

 

Why are landowners being contacted about the project?

NEET Southwest has an in-house land services team and consultants who provide land acquisition services. These individuals are responsible for collaborating with landowners from the early phases of development and will contact landowners along a route to negotiate voluntary transmission easement options. These easements would allow NEET Southwest the right to use a defined strip of land for the construction, operation and maintenance of the transmission line. In addition, landowners may also be contacted by the land services team for permission to access their property to conduct field surveys and soil testing so that the area can be confirmed safe for construction.

 

What does the surveying and testing entail?

Surveying and testing will include geotechnical boring which is an activity that collects soil core sample to confirm safe construction methods for foundations. This is done using a small drill rig to create a borehole with an approximately 6-inch diameter that is about 30 – 50 feet deep. Soil cores are collected and analyzed in a laboratory to determine the structural integrity of the ground.

 

Will my property be rehabilitated after the borehole is drilled?

Yes, the borehole will be backfilled immediately after soil cores are collected and rehabilitation will be completed by a separate team who will arrive shortly after boring completion.

 

How long will you need access to my property?

It is anticipated that the entire process (from mobilization to demobilization of equipment) will take approximately 3 - 4 hours.

 

Will I be notified prior to a team arriving to complete geotechnical work?

The land services team at NEET Southwest will contact landowners in advance to receive survey permissions and coordinate access. Any special access requirements, including parking of vehicles and gate access, should be communicated by the landowner.

 

What will happen once the project is in construction?

Construction starts with the preparation of the right-of-way which entails clearing vegetation, staking the edges of the right-of-way and pole locations and locating underground utilities.  

Pole installation will begin afterwards. At this step, flatbed trucks will deliver the poles, auger trucks and water trucks will dig the holes, concrete trucks will be onsite for drilled shaft foundations and cranes will install poles.  

Finally, the restoration team will work to clean up the soil that has been removed from the holes, re-sodding will occur if sod was present before construction, ruts will be repaired and the site will be returned to pre-construction conditions, if not better.