AUSTIN, Texas (KVII) — Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that Bailey County Electric Cooperative Association will receive more than $8 million from the Texas Energy Fund for electric reliability projects in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains.
The work will benefit customers across the cooperative’s service area, including parts of Parmer and Castro counties.
The larger project will upgrade equipment on about 2,000 utility poles to better protect power lines from high winds. State officials said the improvements are expected to prevent lines from colliding and reduce outages.
A second project upgraded about two miles of transmission line to improve reliability, reduce outage restoration times and make repairs safer and more efficient.
“Texas works to improve electric reliability and deliver affordable power to every corner of the state,” Abbott said in a statement. “This grant provides critical funding for projects that will strengthen our electrical infrastructure and protect Texas families for generations to come.”
Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Thomas Gleeson said the grant program allows the state to work with local power providers to make their systems stronger and more resilient.