300 Gato Suet, Sue 206 ee ‘VIA HAND-DELIVERY DEC ~ 5 2018 esse peluga New Mexico Public Regulation Commission "ION COM Santa Fe, NM $7501-2013, Re: EI Paso Blectrie Company's NMPRC Rule 17.5.440 NMAC Notice of Filing No. 70 Construction of the Talavera Distribution Substation and related facilities. Dear Ms. Sandeval: Enclosed for filing please find an original and two copies of El Paso Electric Company's (*EPE’s") Rule 440 Form 2, Notice of construction of a distribution substation and related facilities, EPE submits the following information in support of Filing No, 70, (CHARACTER OF UNDERTAKIN ‘The Talavera Distribution Substation project is located in Dofia Ana County east of the City of Las Cruces in the Talavera area and east of EPE's existing 345KV and 115kV sransmission corridor. It is located one mile south of Dripping Springs Road and west of Achenback Canyon Road. ‘The project consists of EPE constructing the substation and 0.3 mile access road; creating al 1SkV transmission in: in-and-out tap; upgrading 0.50 mile of an existing feeder; rebuilding 2.2 males of an existing feeder to add a new feeder; and constructing two new feeders on a double cireuit pole line, 2.8 miles in length. The substation facilities consist ofa six-position ring bus, two 50, MVA-115 kV/24 kV distribution transformers (100 MV total), two sets of switchgear, and a 30, MVAR capacitor bank, BACKGROU EPE’s Distribution Systems 2018-2027 Ten Year Expansion Plan identified the need for @ new 113KV/24KV substation to replace the smaller Talavera temporary substation which is currently in use. The existing Amoyo and Salopek Substations that serve the area and associated 24KV feeders are reaching their maximum capacity. A new substation is required to meet current electrical demand, suppor: future growth and improve system reliability in the southeastern area of Dofia ‘Ana County and City of Las Craces. The new substation will back up these facilities and eliminatethe risk of overloading feeders and significantly reducing the risk of extended forced outages. The roject is necessary to improve EPE’s ability to back-feed to the surrounding distribution system in the event of an outage. RENEFIT TO EPE'S CUSTOMERS, SYSTEM AND PURPOSE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED: ‘The new permanent substation will offset large amounts of load from neighboring Salopek and Arroyo feeders and will allow them to accommodate increasing loads inthe area, This will alow EEPE to continue to reliably serve existing and future load requirements in Dofia Ana County and the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico, The area near and around Centennial High School i in the process of being developed creating an emerging load growth area, MEANS BY WHICH PURPOSE IS TO BE REALIZED: Approximately 0.10 mile of new transmission line will be constructed to connect the substation to the existing Arroyo to Anthony 11SkV transmission line, forming the 115kV Arroyo to Talavera and 115kV Talavera to Anthony transmission lines. Approximately 0.50 mile of an existing 24kV tree phase single circuit distibution feeder will be rebuilt to replace the existing #2ACSR conductor with 795AAC conductor with 336ACSR stati to inerease capacity. EPE will replace the existing poles on that lin. The poles ofan existing 2.2 miles of 24KV feeder will be replaced to allow the attachment of a new 24k - 795AAC feeder to increase capacity. ‘The conductor on that existing feeder will remain the same, The 2.28 miles of now 24KV feeders will be constructed a a three-phase double circuit line using a 795AAC conductor with 336ACSR static. The start date is January 21, 2019, RISK ASSOCIATED WITH NO ACTION: ‘The 24kV feeders and equipment at the Arroyo and Salopek Substations are reaching their ‘maximum capacity. The risk associated with no action, wll be inability, to serve new load growth in these area and overloading ofthe existing distribution system, resulting in sustained outages for majority of customers in these area and damage to electrical equipment. ESTIMATED Costs: ‘The estimated cost of the projec is approximately $9,810,967.44, CONCLUSION: ‘The project is required for EPE to continue reliability for existing and future customer load requirements in the area and to improve EPE's contingency planning by providing back-feed to the surrounding distribution system inthe event of an outage.Please date stamp and retum the two copies provided to EPE's messenger, Thank you for yout aceite inthis matte. Very tly yours, 7 Nancy B. Burns Senior Attamey Paso Electric Company Enclosure ccc: Charles Gurter Jack Sidler femal)