Regulators approve routes for Texas’ first 765-kV power lines

Plans for Texas’ first-ever 765-kilovolt transmission lines cleared a final regulatory hurdle Friday, but a top state official is trying to pause the project.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas voted to approve two applications and final routes for ultrahigh voltage transmission lines west of Dallas-Fort Worth.

This allows the utility company, Dallas-based Oncor, to begin surveying, securing necessary rights-of-way, and constructing the line. The PUC ordered Oncor to work with landowners on routing to avoid bisecting properties “when reasonable accommodations can be made.”

PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson filed memorandums late Thursday afternoon ahead of the meeting that said he suggested the commission approve the applications in the more than 200-mile Dinosaur Switch to Longshore Switch from Somervell County to Howard County and the estimated 160-mile Longshore Switch to Drill Hole Switch from Howard County to near the Culberson County-Reeves County line.

The routes chosen were Route 559 and Route 476, respectively. 

“I know we heard from some that the feeling is the participation isn’t meaningful,” Gleeson said after the vote. “I want to tell everyone it is meaningful. Everyone who participates in this process and the people up here takes it seriously.”

He said balancing all of the interests is difficult.

In a written statement, Oncor officials said the company appreciates the commissioners’ thoughtful review of the 765-kV projects.

“Today’s decision aligns with what years of engineering studies by our state’s grid experts have repeatedly concluded: that these projects are essential to the reliability of electric service in West Texas and to the overall stability of the ERCOT grid,” the statement reads. “We recognize that transmission projects, including the regulatory process involved in their development, can have meaningful impacts on landowners, community members, and other participating stakeholders, and we take seriously the feedback shared with us throughout this process.”

Oncor said it is committed to treating affected landowners with respect and working collaboratively with them throughout the easement process.

Soon after the PUC meeting concluded, Attorney General Ken Paxton called for the 765-kV project to be paused until the next Legislative session when a “full and through review” can be done, according to a brief filed Friday afternoon with the State Office of Administrative Hearings. 

Paxton argued it is unclear whether state lawmakers ever contemplated this scale of a project and they must be given an opportunity to review the plan and provide guidance. 

Paxton asked the PUC to defer any further action on the plan until the 90th Legislature can review its scope, costs and affect on private landowners and provide clear policy guidance.

“We need to ensure that a project of this size is being carried out in a way that is best for the people of Texas,” Paxton said in a news release.

The review would include an independent analysis of the costs to ratepayers and the impact on private property owners, he said. 

“There must be clear guardrails from the Legislature for this scale of buildout,” Paxton said.  “I will always act to put Texans first.” 

The PUC has not yet ruled on the motion to defer. A PUC spokesperson said the brief will not impact the commission’s decision made Friday morning.

Over the last year, hundreds of Texans were notified the state was planning to have utility companies build a 1,200-mile, multibillion-dollar 765-kV transmission project to carry energy to the Permian Basin, and it may need to cut through their property.

ERCOT, the state’s grid operator, referred to the project as creating an electricity “superhighway.” Others have likened the proposed mappings as spiderwebs engulfing Texas.

Related: ‘We need God to save Texas.’ Landowners take fight against the 765-kV power lines to the Capitol

Power lines as large as 765-kilovolt don’t yet exist in Texas where smaller 345-kV lines are more widely used.

These new lines could have steel lattice towers about the height of a 15-story building and require a right-of-way about 200 feet wide to be cleared.

State and industry officials have repeatedly argued the transmission lines are a necessary infrastructure upgrade to prevent power outages, which are projected to happen as soon as next summer in Far West Texas. They also say not investing in the lines could impact new power generation being built and hinder economic growth.

Opposition has grown among affected landowners, local and state lawmakers and even country music legend Tayna Tucker. 

Many have pleaded for energy companies to find alternative solutions, like onsite generation, to prevent large swaths of generational ranches, schools and businesses from being affected.

Texans have highlighted potential issues over whether the 180-day process to review the applications for the 765-kV lines was rushed and convoluted, preventing some landowners from being able to participate.

Ahead of the PUC’s vote on Friday, Erath County Judge Brandon Huckabee — whose jurisdiction is affected by the Dinosaur Switch to Longshore Switch — spoke during public comment. He told commissioners he didn’t believe the process was good enough and called on them not to “pick around through a flawed process and call it finished.”

Related: ‘People just need opportunity.’ How Texas neighbors came together to fight a 765kV power line

“Somewhere along the way in this process, a lot of the people that I represent lost trust that their voices actually matter,” Huckabee said. “Many of them are sitting out here and back at home walking away believing the deck was stacked against them from the very beginning. I don’t believe we should feel comfortable with that.”

Following state Senate and House of Representative committee hearings in recent weeks, Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, called on state regulators to reject the pending applications from transmission utilities until lawmakers could overhaul the approval process, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick joined the push and Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, penned a letter calling the process “flawed” and asked regulators to work with lawmakers to develop legislative fixes.

As of Friday, applications for three other lines are still pending, including Howard to Solstice, Big Hill to Sand Lake and Bell County East to Big Hill.

This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Lisa and Charles Siegel, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.