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Transmission line plans expected soon; Llano County now in possible impact zone

03/10/26 | Dakota Morrissiey
transmission lines

Stock image of transmission line for illustrative purposes only

Oncor Electric Delivery and the Lower Colorado River Authority are expected to file their plans for a major state transmission line project between March 26 and April 7. While Burnet County has known it was included along the line’s route since June 2025,  Llano County may now be included in the long list of potentially impacted counties as well. 

On Friday, March 6, Oncor submitted an amendment to its project application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to include an updated list of potentially impacted counties by the Bell County East to Big Hill 765 kV Transmission Line Project. 

This amendment resulted in a new docket number for the project with the PUCT. Interested parties may view the docket under filings for control number 59475 at this link. Comments may be filed with the PUCT on the project at this link. 

According to Burnet County’s legal counsel, Margaret Pemberton, the changes could be a good thing for Burnet County, but it is still too early to tell. 

“I have talked to Oncor several times,” Pemberton told the Burnet County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, March 10. “(Oncor’s leaders) have heard people a lot, they said people really seem to want the line to go north. The title of the docket includes new counties going north and it may be fairly beneficial to Burnet County.”

The line would run over 200 miles total, from Bell County to Schleicher County, passing through Burnet County along the way. According to the project developers, it is meant to bring power to far west Texas to help power an array of rising power needs for cryptocurrency mining, “green hydrogen” projects, industrial uses, data centers, and the electrification of the petroleum industry.

The updated list of counties could indicate a change in the possible path the line would take, but that won’t be known for certain until Oncor and the LCRA officially file between March 26 and April 7.

On the list of new counties is Llano County, which was previously outside of the proposed impact zone for the transmission line. 

“I’m going to support our Llano County landowners,” Llano County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Don Moss told DailyTrib when he learned about the change in plans. 

Llano County preemptively filed an official resolution opposing the transmission line project in November 2025 just in case something like this happened. 

The full list of counties is as follows:

  • Bell
  •  Burnet
  • Concho
  • Coryell
  • Lampasas,
  • Llano
  • Mason
  • McCulloch
  • Menard
  • Milam
  • Mills
  • San Saba
  • Schleicher
  • Tom Green 
  • Williamson

Critics of the transmission line say that if it is approved, it would likely have severe impacts on property owners resulting in large eminent domain seizures, reduced property values, and negative impacts on the daily lives of nearby residents. The line would likely require 200-300 foot easements and 15-18 story towers suspending the highest voltage powerlines that Texas has ever seen. 

The newly-formed Burnet County Highland Lakes Sub-Regional Planning Commission, created on Feb. 25, is holding its first meeting at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 16, at the AgriLife Auditorium, 607 N. Vandeveer Street, in Burnet. The commission was formed to help battle the transmission line and unify local governments for better negotiating power and planning purposes. The meeting is open to the public. 

Background on the Bell County East to Big Hill 765 kV Transmission Line

The Bell County East to Big Hill 765-kV Transmission Project has been on Burnet County’s radar since June 2025. Since then, public opposition and protest has risen and the county has officially taken up opposition to the state project. 

The transmission line project’s intention is to bring power to West Texas, but many Burnet County residents believe that it would be at the expense of Hill Country landowners.

The project was mandated by the Texas Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 5066. The bill aimed to increase the reliability of the Texas electric grid, and also specifically targeted bringing power to the Permian Basin region of West Texas. 

The Public Utility Commission of Texas took on the task, requesting the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to conduct a study on the power needs of the Permian Basin, resulting in the Permian Basin Reliability Study. 

The results of that study showed a massive increase in the projected demand for electricity from that region, mostly to satisfy an estimated addition of 11,695 megawatts to the grid from the non-oil and gas industry. Per ERCOT’s study, this load would be made up of 59 percent cryptocurrency operations, 22 percent “green hydrogen” projects, 13 percent “other” commercial and industrial projects, and 6 percent datacenters.

Once ERCOT’s study was completed, the PUCT tasked Oncor Electric Delivery and the Lower Colorado River Authority with devising a plan to deliver more power to the Permian Basin. After months of planning the organizations created a preliminary plan and route for 765 kilovolt powerlines to be run from Central Texas to West Texas. Burnet County was notified of the plans, and the fact that it would likely be included in all possible routes, in May 2025. 

The project, to be paid for by the state, has an estimated total cost of $33 billion, and would include three major lines, including the Bell County East to Big Hill project. 

Read the DailyTrib stories below to learn more:

dakota@thepicayune.com

News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.

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2 thoughts on “Transmission line plans expected soon; Llano County now in possible impact zone”

  1. Say it itsn’t so. I thought the LCRA were THE self-professed stewards of the Highland Lakes, masters of energy and #1 in community service?!?!?

    They had better get their marketing machine to spin Burnet & now maybe even Llano County some prime window dressing before they fire up bulldozers to raze our beautiful land and string up 200 foot tall towers right across our landscapes, rivers and Heritage Ranches.

    Please tell us how you all justified this boondoggle when none of the electricity will be offered to Burnet or Llano County.

    Tell ranchers and land owners how you are a part of eminent domain and “stealing” land from all types of farmers, ranchers and land owners. Some land will be taken that has been in families for over 100 to 150 years.

    Tell us how this 765kv line might even be old technology before it gets strung up or shortly thereafter.

    Tell us who pays for this monstrosity and how much of an increase in our electricity rates we can expect to go on top of the “partner in crime” PEC who just notified us of an increase.

    This raping and pillaging of some of the most beautiful land in Texas is a scam and will forever drive a stake in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

    Are we going to let the LCRA & Oncor team up and sell us a sad eyesore that benefits so few?

  2. So does this affect the city of Marble Falls near Walmart?

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