Bad News for "Save RGV from LNG," PUB Ratepayers

From the editor:  A reader named "John" has chronicled the developments leading to an eventual power plant and LNG plants in the Cameron Country industrial corridor.  Clicking on the link for each reference will open up the original article:



The Brownsville Public Utilities Board first announced the power plant project in 2013 ("BPUB reveals deal for major generating facility," Steve Clark, 01-28-2013, The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_a72e72f4-69cf-11e2-8b56-0019bb30f31a.html).

Tenaska got a EPA Greenhouse Gas permit in January 2014. See 10-01-2014 archived EPA Tenaska permit request (23 pages) at https://archive.epa.gov/region6/6pd/air/pd-r/ghg/web/pdf/tenaska-brownsville-epa-determination.pdf

The City of Brownsville invoked eminent domain along the path of the proposed Crossing Valley Natural Gas Pipeline (Cross Valley Pipeline Project) to provide the feed gas for the power plant 02-13-2016 (http://www.cob.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/02132014-103).

But then: "Power plant project delayed," Steve Clark, 11-15-20015, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/premium/article_5991c302-8c18-11e5-9504-8fc2460e8716.html

But then on 11-15-2016 Tenaska obtained a Texas Commission for Environmental Quality water effluent permit to dump waste water into the Brownsville Ship Channel in Segment No. 2494 of the Bays and Estuaries (http://www15.tceq.texas.gov/crpub/index.cfm?fuseaction=iwr.viewdocument&doc_name=Permit%2005005%2Epdf&doc_id=871536492016327&format_cd=pdf).

And the Cross Valley Natural Gas Pipeline that would supply the natural gas is sill in the Brownsville PUB October 1, 2016 -- September 30, 2017 Budget, page 26, $4,403,542 (http://www.brownsville-pub.com/home/showdocument?id=8583). Also see PROJECT REFERENCE E43 on page 239. A 49.9 mile long, 24" pipeline (http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/media/28190/ncr_calendar_2015.pdf).

But the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is planning to invest $91 million dollars to get our regional electric power grid ready to handle the demands of "up to six" LNG operations at our Port. It's taking a "least-regrets" approach, which seems to mean it's better to be prepared for six even if none are ever built. How would this $91 million be figured into and affect a LNG cost/benefit analysis? See "ERCOT Board OKs Rio Grande Valley Fixes," Tom Kleckner, 06-19-2016, RTO Insider, https://www.rtoinsider.com/ercot-board-rio-grande-valley-28040/. Also see ERCOT's Valley Import Regional Planning Group (RPG) Project report, 06-14-2016, http://www.ercot.com/content/wcm/key_documents_lists/76336/12_Valley_Import_RPG_Project.pdf/.

Back in 2013, it was said it was needed because ERCOT's “Cross Valley transmission project” wouldn't be completed until 2016 and wouldn't provide the amount of electrical power we'd need by then anyway. That power line is now complete and ERCOT's planning send even more power our way. See "Power project nears completion; ‘Cross Valley’ line may be in service by summer," Steve Clark, 02-07-2016, The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_a5f083cc-ce1d-11e5-b4c5-139b5a45c48c.html. See the map of the Cross Valley power line at https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1338P-q6AHsdZTE2FbP5gYq-eAO4&ll=26.132389309942034%2C-97.84620930419919&z=10

So will the Tenaska Power Plant be needed here? The only sure thing seems to be that the argument will continue back and forth between ERCOT and power companies such as Tenaska, Calpine, and NRG Energy etc. See "Cross Valley transmission line brings changes," Kristen Mosbrucker, 09-20-2014, Valley Morning Star, http://www.valleymorningstar.com/premium/article_729d3126-413a-11e4-8238-001a4bcf6878.html
According to the Tenaska Brownsville Generating Station web page, Tenaska is developing a site in Brownsville, Texas, for a natural gas-fueled electric generating facility able to power up to 800,000 homes, expected on line as early as 2017.