By Kari Williamson

Pattern has reached an agreement with Texan utilities and has made two key applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the potentially 3 GW capacity transmission line.

“Pattern is making steady progress on the development of its Southern Cross project, which will allow Texas to share its abundant economically feasible wind energy resources with its neighbour states to the south-east,” says Mike Garland, CEO at Pattern.

“The Southern Cross project will create new jobs, generate investment and economic development in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and provide the south-east with the opportunity to access low coast renewable energy from Texas.”

Through Southern Cross Transmission LLC, Pattern has reached a settlement agreement with Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC; CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC and the City of Garland, and its municipal-owned electric utility Garland Power and Light.

The agreement is part of the application to FERC requesting an order from the Commission directing Garland to interconnect the project with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and directing Oncor and CenterPoint to provide transmission services into and out of ERCOT.

In a separate application to FERC, Pattern also requested authority to sell transmission services on Southern Cross at negotiated rates with interested shippers.

The wind transmission project is expected to be built by 2016.