Texas lawmakers demand pause on massive private-land transmission project
A group of Texas legislators is urging the Public Utility Commission to stop approvals for a $33 billion transmission line plan that would cross thousands of acres of private property.
During a heated hearing on the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, Texas legislators called for a halt to the approval of three 765-kv transmission lines slated to run from East to West Texas. Sen. Charles Schwertner wrote to the Public Utility Commission urging a rejection of the applications and suggested revising the 2023 filing process in the upcoming legislative session. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that any construction must not sacrifice private property rights.
More than a hundred witnesses, including country star Tanya Tucker, testified that landowners received insufficient notice and that the proposed routes would harm the Hill Country’s rivers and ecosystems. The project, estimated at $33 billion and to be funded by ratepayers, faces opposition from groups like the Hill Country Preservation Coalition, while utility representatives and the Texas Oil and Gas Association argue the lines are essential for meeting the Permian Basin’s power needs.
Why it matters
The outcome will shape Texas’s energy infrastructure and affect thousands of landowners and ratepayers.
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