The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted Pattern Development final approval for the 3 GW Southern Cross transmission project.

Pattern says it is developing the Southern Cross project to add a high-voltage direct-current transmission tie between the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the transmission grid deep in the southeastern U.S. by 2019.

‘Southern Cross is an innovative transmission project that will allow Texas to share its abundant low-cost wind energy resources with its neighbor states to the southeast,’ says Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Development. ‘We appreciate the assistance we've received from the many parties in Texas who worked with us on securing this order and are excited to now be able to move forward with this unique project which will create jobs and economic development in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi."

FERC has announced four orders following a compliance filing earlier this year, and they are in response to applications initially filed by Pattern Development in September 2011.

The commission has directed the City of Garland, Texas, to interconnect with Southern Cross; ordered Oncor and CenterPoint to provide transmission service for power flows into and out of the ERCOT; approved an associated offer of settlement among the parties; and affirmed that neither the order nor the offer of settlement would cause ERCOT, Oncor, CenterPoint or any other ERCOT utility that is not already a public utility to become a public utility.