The Medina Lake to Pipe Creek transmission line supplies power from the state-wide electricity transmission network for BEC Members in the Medina Lake area.
 

The current line was built in 1964 and has served BEC members well for the past forty years. However, the Medina Lake area has experienced tremendous growth during those years and has out grown the line.

 Rebuilding the BEC Transmission Line

BEC must rebuild the line in the next few years to maintain the reliability and quality of service Members have come to expect. We will be changing it from a 69 kilo-volt (kV) to a 138 kV line that will be able to move more power. The upgrade requires that we replace the existing poles and wire.

Most of the spans in the new line will be supported by a single concrete pole about seventy feet tall. The type of construction BEC is using will require fewer poles with longer lengths or spans between them. This means a smaller environmental footprint.

Location of Line

The newly rebuilt line will be in the same location as the old one, but it will require taller poles and a larger right-of-way area.

Additional Right-of-Way Area Needed

The current line is in the middle of a forty foot right-of-way which means there is twenty feet on either side of the line. For the newly rebuilt line BEC will need a total of eighty feet (forty feet on either side of the line). This means we need an additional forty feet of right-of-way, that is twenty more feet on either side of the line, bringing the total right-of-way area to eighty feet.

Additional Area Needed for “Swing Out”

The newly rebuilt Medina Lake to Pipe Creek transmission line will operate at a higher voltage, will be on taller poles and will use fewer poles per mile than the existing line. The additional right-of-way area is needed because the wire on the line will “swing out” further from the centerline during times of high wind.

This means BEC will not necessarily clear the additional right-of-way area all the way to ground level. Some trees may need to be topped out, but they will not be cut down at the trunk.

The line is located in areas where there are mostly cedar trees. These trees do not usually grow tall enough to interfere with the new line, even during times of high wind. 

What if BEC can not get the extra right-of -way?

If BEC is not able to get the additional right-of-way in an area for the new line it will have to use more poles and shorter spans.

Why doesn’t BEC put the line underground?

Putting a 138 kV transmission line underground is extremely expensive. No other BEC transmission line is underground. It is rare to find a transmission line anywhere that is buried.

What precautions will BEC take if it has to trim trees in the new right-of-way area?

All employees and contractors that trim trees for BEC use practices consistent with arborist professionals. They are required to paint fresh cuts and clean equipment when they are dealing with trees susceptible to Oak Wilt and Live Oak Decline.

When will construction start on the line?

 Rebuilding the line is expected to begin in 2010. However, BEC has to get commitments on the additional right-of-way area now, so that engineering can begin. 

What if I have additional questions? 

The BEC website has a section devoted to the Medina Lake to Pipe Creek Transmission Line Rebuild project. You may also contact  BEC’s project manager, Eddie Rowe, 830-796-6039.