1. Midwest Energy, Inc. Transmission Planning and Expansion
Southwest Power Pool
Sub-Regional Planning – Area 1
Nathan McNeil
Transmission Planning Engineer

2. Introduction to Midwest system
Member-owned cooperative serving 48,000 electric customers in 41 counties of central and western Kansas.
Also serve 41,000 natural gas customers.
2008 peak load of 330MW total retail and wholesale/municipal load.
2009 peak of 331MW total load.

3. Trans Map – Kansas view

4. Transmission/Generation System Overview
Assets classified as transmission, pursuant to Attachment AI and as approved by KCC.
230kV: ~ 128 miles
115kV: ~ 457 miles
69kV: ~ 262 miles
34kV: ~ 826 miles
Generation totaling 101MW
Goodman Energy Center: 75MW
Older internal combustion and CTs: 26MW

5. Key Load Areas
Hays area: commercial, oil field, residential; minimal load growth in most sectors, though oil field load has grown more significantly.
Colby area: Irrigation load has grown rapidly of late due to conversion from natural gas and diesel; other loads in the area are steady.
Great Bend area: Oil field load is growing, as is commercial load; irrigation load is showing minimal growth.

6. Recently Completed Projects
City of Larned – Temporary upgrade
Interconnection limited by transformer size; necessitated City generate most of the summer.
City has been considering construction of new interconnection.
Needed additional transformer capacity to avoid running local generation; built temporary interconnection.
Storm Damage Repair
Over last three years incurred ~$145M in damages from tornadoes and ice storms. Lots of damage to 34kV facilities, and some damage to 115 kV as well.

7. Large map showing 34kV rebuilds

8. Recently Completed Projects
Replacement of 115/34kV autotransformer at Rice Co. substation.
Complete replacement of protective relays at Lyons 115kV and Colby 115kV substations.

9. 2009 STEP Projects Add capacitors at Kinsley and Pawnee – 2011
Intended to address summer season voltage concerns.
Alternate to locating 10MVAR at St. John 115kV sub.
HEC to Huntsville 115 kV Rebuild – 2013
21.1 miles owned by MIDW, 7.7 miles owned by Westar
Huntsville to St. John 115 kV Rebuild – 2014
26.5 miles

11. Other Projects City of Ellinwood – 2010
Load is currently served from Rice County 115/34.5 kV substation. Will be moved to new 69/34.5 kV substation.
69/34.5 kV transformer delivered. Substation and 34.5 kV line construction underway.
Hadley Range 34.5 kV Line Rebuild – 2010
Improved ROW access and increased line capacity.
Line serves primarily oil field load northeast of Hays.

12. Other Projects Great Bend to Great Bend North 69kV – 2010
Line already in place; operated normally open.
Breakers have been installed, and relaying is being finished to allow normally closed operation.
Will help alleviate voltage issues at Hitschmann for contingencies.
Improves reliability for substations on radial line.
Heizer to Mullergren 115 kV Tie – 2011
Addresses multiple voltage concerns and transformer loading issues.

13. Other Projects Spearville – Post Rock (Knoll) – Axtell 345kV
Included in SPP Balanced Portfolio
NTC’s issued to Sunflower, Midwest, and NPPD
ITC Great Plains will construct and own Kansas portion of the 345 kV line and Post Rock 345/230 kV transformer.
345/230 kV transformer sizing and reactive compensation studies are complete.
Spearville to Post Rock will be in service by 2012 and Post Rock to Axtell by 2013.

14. Map showing 345 line

15. Projects Under Consideration
South Hays – Hays Plant – Vine 115kV
May be necessary to avert overloads for loss of either the Knoll 230/115kV XFMR, or the South Hays-Knoll 230kV line.
Could be part of a larger project to upgrade distribution in southern part of Hays, requiring re-route of transmission line.

16. Detail map of Hays transmission

17. Projects Under Consideration
St. John/Kinsley area
Capacitors planned at Pawnee and Kinsley for voltage support on long radial 115 kV line as short-term solution.
Multiple looping alternatives being considered for long-term support to the area.
Requires significant additional study. Estimated cost $6M - $7M+, depending on solution deemed most appropriate and amount of rebuild required.

18. Projects Under Consideration
Hitschmann area
Considering looping Hitschmann 69kV down to North Ellinwood. This solves the voltage issue at Hitschmann for the loss of the Heizer-Great Bend North 69kV line.
Requires construction of ~20 miles of 69kV terminating at North Ellinwood.
This would also loop the system for customers served from Hitschmann, Bunker Hill and Susank substations on a long radial 69kV line.

19. Map of 69kv system

20. Projects Under Consideration
Rebuild/relocate Rice Co. Substation
Substation prone to flooding. At a minimum, need to replace control house to keep out of flood water. Would also require modification of substation equipment to increase elevation above grade. Relays need to be replaced and updated. Considering relocation of substation.
City of Larned
Work with City on construction of new permanent interconnection.

21. System Planning - General
As a transmission-owning member of SPP, we participate in the SPP regional planning processes, including model development cycles, STEP processes, etc.
Submit planning data to SPP as required, including EIA411 data for loads and resources.
Also conduct internal studies of local area issues.
Combined distribution and transmission long range plan in progress.

22. Load & Resource Forecasting
We renew load forecasts for our retail load and firm wholesale loads annually.
Load growth has been modest (approximately 0.7%) annual growth in peak load.
Midwest has traditionally purchased most of its energy resources. Construction of new plant has changed that.

23. System Modeling
Midwest provides data to SPP and/or updates existing data through MOD:
Resources and transactions
Transmission topology, ratings, transformers, devices, etc.
Generation and Loads
Loads have been separated into owner components for municipals, other utility deliveries, etc.
Reviewing and updating system data, particularly for short circuit modeling

24. System Planning Contacts
New Interconnections:
Wholesale Services:
System Modeling
Transmission Planning
Engineering & Design
Bill Dowling
Nathan McNeil
Ray Harold

25. Questions?