Burnet County considers careful next steps in response to transmission line

Jan and Austin Rose’s northeast Burnet County ranch has been in their family for 140 years. Soon, that iconic Hill Country view could be cut down the middle by a massive transmission line.

Burnet County recently learned it is ground zero for the largest powerline project in Texas history. Local officials are delving into what, if anything, can be done to alter the line’s course amid concerns from potentially impacted landowners like the Roses.

The project was a topic of discussion at the Burnet County Commissioners Court meeting on June 24. No solid action was taken, but the court heard several public comments to help inform its next steps and county attorneys were instructed to investigate all options before leaders proceed.

“This is just such a critical issue that we need to take our time and do it right,” Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson said during Tuesday’s meeting. “This powerline has caused a tremendous amount of angst and stress for the citizens.”

The transmission line is a major project of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which is trying to improve the state’s electric grid. Part of that mission includes the construction of a 200-mile, 765-kilovolt transmission line between Bell and Schleicher counties, with all proposed preliminary routes cutting through northern Burnet County. 

Burnet County leaders were officially notified of the project in January, but the correspondence was lost in the leadership shuffle following the resignation of former county Judge James Oakley. The next anyone heard about the project was in May. The Commissioners Court notified the public during its June 10 meeting, sharing the maps of preliminary routes and the dates of a series of planned public workshops on the transmission line to be held in Lampasas, Menard, and Salado.

What makes the project unique isn’t necessarily the length of the lines, but the voltage. While 765-kilovolt transmission lines are common in the American Midwest, there has never been one in Texas. They require a 200-foot easement, and the towers holding them up are usually about 130-140 feet tall. The lines are the highest voltage available in the United States, capable of transmitting six times the power of a typical 345-kilovolt line, and are considered to be far more energy efficient and reliable than their lower-voltage counterparts.

“The PUC is fully committed to building an ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) grid that will serve Texans reliably for decades to come,” said PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson in an April 24 media release. “Extra-high-voltage lines are more efficient and strengthen reliability. Because each line can carry more power, fewer lines are necessary to serve the needs of the Permian Basin Region, meaning less disruption to Texas landowners, natural habitats, and landscapes. Our priority now is ensuring utilities execute these projects quickly and at the lowest possible cost to Texas consumers.”

The eastern portion of the line is being built by energy delivery company Oncor and the western portion by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Burnet County’s part of the line will be handled by Oncor. Residents may contact Oncor Regulatory Manager Jeremy McConnell with questions at 214-486-5216 or transmissionprojects@oncor.com. Learn more about the project on LCRA’s information webpage.

Judge Wilson, who is responsible for crafting the county’s agendas, did have several possible action items concerning a response to the powerline project set for Tuesday’s meeting, but none were officially addressed due to the lack of a drafted resolution and the desire for more time to research the issue.

“We don’t have a resolution ready today,” Wilson said. “This has been moving very quickly, so I did not have the opportunity to draft a resolution for you to consider. I don’t know what our options are, but if we can at least engage an attorney to hold the powerlines and the PUC accountable to state law, I don’t know.”

Among the considerations were possibly declaring the transmission line an issue of “unforeseen grave necessity or emergency.” Also up for consideration was spending as much as $100,000 on outside attorneys or professional services to help the county navigate the process.

Ultimately, the Commissioners Court settled on instructing county attorneys to investigate the matter further and help create a safe, legal route through the high-powered predicament.

“I’d like to see us move forward on the resolution and also maybe asking our attorneys to look into what our options are before we come in on an outside attorney,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Luther said.

He was backed up by Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle. Both commissioners’ precincts would be in the path of the proposed project.

“We definitely need to start working on a resolution that has some teeth to it and find out the right people to send it to,” Beierle said. 

Several Burnet County residents and landowners made their concerns clear, revolving around personal, financial, environmental, and historical impacts.

The 140-year-old ranch of Jan and Austin Rose is recognized as a state heritage site. The couple and their property were even featured in The Picayune Magazine in October 2024: “Burnet County ranching couple works family land in nod to heritage and higher power.”

“I applaud the county for recognizing these problems,” Austin Rose said at the meeting. “I think your hundred thousand dollars is on the low side to get competent, experienced attorneys that are used to testifying and fighting for people or entities in front of the PUC. So I would encourage you to do that.”

Another landowner, Michael Smith, also spoke during the meeting.

“I don’t know if there is much we can do about this at this point, but any help that can be given to landowners in the county, we would greatly appreciate it,” he told the court.

dakota@thepicayune.com