Overview
West Crystal City Substation is an operational electrical substation in Texas, United States, operated by South Texas Electric Cooperative at 69 kV voltage level.
West Crystal City Substation is an operational electrical substation located in Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by South Texas Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electric utility serving the region. The substation operates at a voltage of 69 kV, which is typical for distribution-level infrastructure in rural cooperative networks. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which set reliability standards for the bulk power system. As a substation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region, it adheres to ERCOT's grid reliability and operational protocols. The 69 kV voltage level indicates this substation likely serves as a distribution substation, stepping down power from transmission lines to local distribution networks. This substation plays a key role in delivering electricity to the Crystal City area and surrounding communities in south Texas. As part of South Texas Electric Cooperative's infrastructure, it supports rural electrification and grid stability in a region characterized by agricultural and oil and gas activities. The facility's operational status ensures continued power supply to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the area.
Environmental context
The substation is located in a rural area of south Texas, where the landscape is predominantly flat with semi-arid climate conditions. Electrical infrastructure in this region must withstand extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and occasional hurricanes. The 69 kV voltage level and rural location suggest the substation is designed for reliability in a less densely populated area, with potential environmental considerations including vegetation management to prevent outages and wildlife protection measures.
Frequently asked questions
West Crystal City Substation is located in Texas, United States, near Crystal City in Zavala County. Its coordinates are approximately 28.6650 N, -99.9556 W.
West Crystal City Substation operates at a voltage of 69 kV (69,000 volts), which is a common distribution voltage level in the United States.
The substation is owned and operated by South Texas Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electric cooperative serving south Texas.
As part of the US electrical grid, this substation must comply with NERC reliability standards and FERC regulations. It also operates within the ERCOT region, which has its own grid reliability protocols.
A 69 kV substation typically serves as a distribution substation, stepping down higher transmission voltages (e.g., 138 kV or 230 kV) to lower distribution voltages for local power delivery to homes, businesses, and industries.