The proposed Livingston Ridge-Sage Brush-Cardinal 115 kV transmission line project consists of about 47 miles of new transmission line and two new substations. The project includes approximately 28 miles of 115 kV transmission line from the existing Livingston Ridge substation, which is located 14 miles east of Carlsbad, to the new Sage Brush substation located about 47 miles east of Carlsbad. An additional 19 miles of 115 kV line will be constructed between the Sage Brush substation and the new Cardinal substation about 60 miles east of Carlsbad.
The existing Livingston Ridge substation will be expanded and converted from 69 kV to 115 kV.
The project will provide additional transmission capacity and electric service in the Livingston Ridge area and around the new Sage Brush substation and the interconnections with the existing 115kV system will improve reliability to this area.
The Livingston Ridge-Sage Brush-Cardinal 115 kV transmission line project is expected to be in service in 2017. The estimated cost of the project is $40 million.
On April 29, 2014, the Southwest Power Pool approved the issuance of 44 Notices to Construct to Xcel Energy’s Southwest Public Service Company for new transmission facilities in New Mexico needed between now and 2020 at a cost of $557 million. Xcel Energy plans to build all of the approved facilities including construction of 12 new substations and upgrades to nine existing substations, as well as 149 miles of new 115 kV and 245 miles of new 345 kV transmission lines.
