Natural Light?

Renewable energy from West Texas could be utilized in other parts of the state.

Oncor Electric Delivery Company is planning to build several transmission lines that can transport energy gathered by wind turbines to urban areas and major cities like the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. In an informational packet provided to attendees, Oncor said renewable energy may also be utilized for Ector County.

“There’s just a lot of different ways and a lot of different impacts,” Oncor Area Representative Sue Mercer said.

The “different ways” are the routes the lines will be built in Ector County, particularly West Odessa.

About 20 people, mostly Oncor representatives, met at Cavazos Elementary School Tuesday afternoon to discuss plans and hear what the public had to say about the preliminary plans.

“We’re listening,” Mercer said. “We’re sharing information and we’re gaining that information as well.”

One of the attendees of the meeting was Ector County Commissioner Freddie Gardner. He wanted to get as much information and input as possible.

“I think this is a great plan,” he said. “One of the problems with the wind farms is they can’t store electricity at this time and this will give them more transmission lines to move the electricity.”

According to the information packets, the transmission lines will be approximately 14 miles long depending on the alternative route certified by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Final decisions on the route will be after Oncor assesses questionnaires citizens filled out during the meeting.

Within the packet, several routing paths were made available for citizens to vote on. While some of the proposed routes go through privately owned property, Oncor came up with options.

 “It’s bringing renewable energy throughout the state,” Oncor Spokesperson Jeamy Molina said. “These new lines are going to bring jobs to Texas.”

LCRA Transmission Services Corp. also held a meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Best Western Garden Oasis.