Full Breakdown
Texas PUC Approves 765-kV Transmission Lines for Permian Basin Amid Landowner Pushback
8/29/2026, 12:03:46 PM
Core Decision: Approval of Two High-Voltage Projects
The Texas Public Utility Commission voted unanimously to amend two Certificates of Convenience and Necessity, allowing Oncor to begin construction of two 765-kilovolt transmission lines that will carry electricity southwest from Bosque County. The lines will span more than 400 miles across at least 30 counties, clearing the final regulatory hurdle for the billion-dollar projects unless successful legal challenges arise.
Background & Context
The projects are part of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, enacted in 2023 to address power shortages for oil-and-gas operators and manufacturers in West Texas. ERCOT recommended three 765-kV lines in a 2024 commission approval. Trade groups representing the sector lobbied for the fastest-to-market option, while landowners began organized protests in December 2025 after receiving notice of the proposed routes.
Key Figures & Groups
- Commissioner Courtney Hjaltman – PUC commissioner who addressed landowner concerns at the hearing.
- Todd Staples – President of the Texas Oil and Gas Association.
- Betsy Madru – Lobbyist for Diamondback Energy.
- Amanda Griffin – Vice president of the Hill Country Preservation Coalition.
- Ken Paxton – Texas Attorney General, filed an amicus brief supporting landowner challenges.
- Katie Coleman – Representative of the Texas Association of Manufacturers.
- Kevin Sparks – State senator urging a pause pending legislative reform.
Data & Statistics
- Transmission length: > 400 miles.
- Voltage: 765 kV, the first of its kind in Texas.
- Geographic scope: routes cross at least 30 counties.
- Industry contribution: $27 billion to state roads and schools last year.
- Interconnection wait time: over two years for new businesses.
- Regulatory timeframe: 180 days for landowner response.
Official Statements & Responses
Commissioner Hjaltman said the commission must weigh landowner concerns alongside infrastructure needs, noting the decision “does not take lightly” the personal impact on property owners. Attorney General Paxton argued the reliability-plan statute does not expressly mandate 765-kV lines and urged a legislative pause to assess benefits versus risks. Industry representatives contended the lines are essential to prevent rolling outages and to attract natural-gas plant investment, warning that reversing the approvals would force a costly redo of load-study work.
Criticism & Opposition
Landowners, organized through the Hill Country Preservation Coalition, warned the routes would scar farmland and disrupt cattle-herding operations that rely on aircraft for seeding and herbicide application. They said the 180-day comment period was too brief and that ERCOT’s analysis had not explored alternatives to 765-kV construction. The attorney general’s amicus brief supported these challenges, citing the lack of explicit statutory language for such high-voltage lines.
Why It Matters
Proponents say the lines will secure reliable power for the nation’s “most important energy security region,” enabling continuous oil-and-gas production and addressing a decade-long industrial power shortfall. Opponents contend construction costs—potentially tens of billions of dollars—will be socialized through residential electricity bills, imposing a lasting financial burden on landowners while threatening natural resources.
What’s Next
State legislators are pressing for a pause until the 2027 legislative session can reform the transmission-application process. Senate leaders, including Senator Sparks and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have called the current PUC procedure “broken” and urged the commission to deny the applications pending reform. Pending legal challenges and any legislative changes will determine whether construction proceeds as scheduled.
