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State legislators request postponement on controversial transmission line project

06/16/26 | Dakota Morrissiey
Texas capitol building

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Dozens of Texas legislators are requesting that the Public Utility Commission of Texas slow down and reevaluate the need for a multi-billion dollar transmission line project that would cut through large swathes of rural Texas. The line would especially impact Burnet County landowners, as they lie within all possible routes proposed by developers.

Texas House District 54 Rep. Brad Buckley, along with 42 other state legislators, filed an amicus briefing of support for a motion from the American Stewards of Liberty requesting that the PUCT postpone the proceedings of the application from Oncor Electric Delivery and the Lower Colorado River Authority to build hundreds of miles of 765 kilovolt transmission lines between Bell County and Schleicher County.

The PUCT is currently in the midst of hearings on whether or not to move forward, or how to move forward, with the 765 kV projects, and a determination is expected by September. 

“The amicus brief signed by me and my colleagues is a request to pause and ensure the (PUCT) fully evaluates the overall need before moving forward,” Buckley said in a Monday, June 15, media release. “The scale and cost of these proposed transmission projects warrant a complete and deliberate review before irreversible decisions are made.”

Buckley, who represents a portion of Bell County, is backed up by HD 19 Rep. Ellen Troxclair and Senate District 24 Senator Pete Flores, each representing Burnet County. 

“Our office has heard from countless landowners and residents throughout HD 19 who are concerned about the lasting impact these projects could have on private property, rural communities, and Texas ratepayers,” wrote Troxclair in a public statement after the letter was submitted to the PUCT. “Before thousands of acres are impacted and billions of dollars are passed on to ratepayers, the (PUCT) should take the time needed to fully review the evidence and determine the overall need for these projects.”

Troxclair and other representatives have been voicing concerns about the project for months. Legislators took their concerns a step further on May 5 when five representatives signed a letter of opposition and then event further on May 11 when 25 legislators signed a more thorough letter requesting a delay in the proceedings until the legislature reconvened in 2027.

The motion

American Stewards of Liberty, a nonprofit that advocates for private property rights across the country, filed on June 5 a motion to “defer determination of need,” which requested that the PUCT fully assess all information within its docket on the transmission line before making any determination on the matter, regardless of the September 2026 deadline. 

The American Stewards of Liberty motion argued that the analysis behind the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, which was the driver behind the transmission line plan, does not necessarily support the transmission lines as the best possible solution for bringing reliable power to West Texas. 

“The asserted need for the proposed 765-kV projects is based upon the premise that the

Permian Basin lacks sufficient electrification to support anticipated load growth in the region and

therefore requires substantial new transmission infrastructure to import power from other regions of (The Electric Reliability Council of Texas),” reads the motion. “However, that premise and the analyses underlying it remain the subject of extensive briefing and dispute.”

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. Power would also be used to electrify the petroleum industry in West Texas.

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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