TRANSMISSION SYSTEM OVERVIEW

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New Mexico Transmission System Overview
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM OVERVIEW NETWORK OPERATING
COMMITTEE April 17, 2007
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Efficient Use of Existing Transmission System

• Long-term weather study (8 weather stations)
• Increased rating (18) of transmission lines by
  using less conservative wind speed assumptions
• Real-time monitoring
• Installed monitoring equipment to allow for
  temporary increase of emergency ratings based on
  actual (as opposed to worst-case) temperature and
  wind conditions
• Traveling Wave Fault Recorders on all 230kV,
  345kV line and key 115kV lines
• Disturbance Monitors
• Bulk transformer online monitoring (oil,
  temperature, hot spots)
• Risk management (Video Sagometers)
• Several lines exposed to low-probability,
  short-duration events have been rated for
  high-temperature operation

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Efficient Use of Existing Transmission System
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Efficient Use of Existing Transmission System

• Reactive Compensation Voltage Support
• Series compensation of 345 kV lines
• Shunt capacitors
• Albuquerque power factor control (RCCS)
• Transmission Line Clearance
• Over 1500 miles of transmission lines have been
  phase-raised to remove ground clearance
  limitations.
• Emergency Procedures
• Automatic load shedding schemes, as safety net
  measures, to handle deficiencies in transmission
  capability during peak usage during scheduled
  maintenance and forced repairs
• Reactor contingency scheme

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WECC/NERC Criteria
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Generation InterconnectionsA Few Facts

• Received 50 generation interconnections since
  2000 (42 direct interconnect and 8 are joint
  studies)
• Signed 6 LGIA for a total of 768 MW
• 451 MW Wind
• 317 MW Gas and Bio Mass
• Todays Queue
• 5 Feasibility Studies
• 6 System Impacts Studies
• 4 Facility Studies
• 1562 MW Wind
• 1479 MW Gas and Combined Cycle

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New Mexico Wind Energy Center

• Located in Eastern New Mexico
• 204 MW capacity
• Supplies up to 20 of PNMs total demand at any
  given time
• Supplies approximately 3.5 on the average
• Installed in 2003, in record time!
• Owned and operated by FPL Energy
• PNM purchases markets all the output

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Technical Specifications

• 136 towers, each 210 feet tall
• Base circumference is gt 40 feet!
• Wind Farm spread out over 15 miles
• Three blades at top of each tower, each 110 feet
  in length
• Facility feeds power onto nearby PNM high-voltage
  transmission line

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How Wind Turbines Produce Energy
Person on top of rotor

• Blades rotate toward the wind
• Winds of 6 to 7 mph are enough to turn blades
• Blades turn a shaft connected to the rotor of an
  electric generator
• Mechanical components can withstand winds of up
  to 55 mph

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NMWEC Power Output Pattern
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Questions?