<\/p>\n
The sun sets behind long-distance transmission lines in February in Hurst.<\/p>\n
Elias Valverde II\/Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
The House Committee on State Affairs holds a hearing regarding data centers and the 765-kilovolt line Aug. 19 at the John\u00a0H. Reagan building in Austin.<\/p>\n
Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n
Pushback against the state\u2019s largest-ever transmission lines is gaining traction, as a group of Texas House members called for the\u00a0Public Utility Commission<\/a> to pause the project until reforms can be made in the next legislative session.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lawmakers filed the request<\/a> for a delay less than an hour before the commission\u2019s meeting on applications for projects under the $33 billion Permian Basin Reliability Plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The plan calls for building three new 765-kilovolt transmission lines to help ensure there\u2019s enough reliable power to meet demand in the energy-rich Permian Basin. But it has sparked outrage from Texans over what they see as largely unbridled industrial development. That pushback has the same lawmakers who in 2023 passed a measure calling for a reliability plan now questioning the project.<\/p>\n \u201cWe agree that Texas\u2019 growth and continued prosperity require a reliable electric grid, and that a reliable grid depends on both increased generation and transmission,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cWe are prepared to work toward solutions that yield both in the 90th Legislative session.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n READ MORE:\u00a0Texas leaders warn of \u2018catastrophic\u2019 effects from pausing plan for massive power lines<\/a><\/p>\n San Antonio Express News Logo<\/p>\n Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The letter, which was signed by 31 Texas House members, was filed with the PUC two days after a House committee meeting on the transmission line<\/a> project. More people signed up to speak during public comment than could be heard in the allotted time.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n PUC delays action on transmission line<\/p>\n On Friday, the\u00a0PUC put off taking any action on the applications for the 765-kilovolt transmission line being built by Oncor<\/a> in North Texas. Instead, the state regulatory agency said it will take time to deliberate the Dinosaur to Longshore line before bringing it up for discussion at a later meeting.<\/p>\n The\u00a0PUC is scheduled to discuss the two remaining 765-kilovolt line projects, including the Howard Solstice Line that would\u00a0stretch from San Antonio through the Hill Country to Fort Stockton<\/a>, next Friday. The high-voltage lines are all part of the reliability plan that was a result of\u00a0House Bill 5066<\/a>.<\/p>\n That legislation aimed to get ahead of the surge in energy demand that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas<\/a> forecast could quadruple by 2032<\/a>. That effort included shortening the deadline for the PUC to approve or deny applications for new transmission projects from one year to 180 days to help meet the rapidly growing energy demand the state faces.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n But House members argued in the letter that \u201cthe bill did not contemplate 765-kilovolt lines and the 180-day timeline in the bill was never intended for projects running transmission lines all across the state.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n RELATED:Texas lawmakers turn against massive power lines they ordered after outcry<\/a><\/p>\n Now, Texas representatives are saying that there were \u201cmultiple failures of due process\u201d that threaten landowners\u2019 property rights and are asking the PUC to deny all Certificate of Convenience and Necessity applications, which utilities file to build a new line, related to the proposed 765-kilovolt projects.<\/p>\n Lawmakers seek changes to approval process<\/p>\n The call to pause\u00a0the project echoes a stance that Sen. Charles\u00a0Schwertner took last month after a 15-hour Senate Committee on Business and Commerce<\/a> hearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Schwertner, who chairs the committee, said the process, lack of proper notice from utilities and shortened timelines for PUC proceedings and due process at the State Office of Administrative Hearings, all raised \u201csignificant concerns.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He called on the state regulatory agency to deny existing applications and allow for the process to be reformed in the next legislative session \u201cto ensure future projects are fair and transparent,\u201d Schwertner posted on X<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n PUC officials, representatives of manufacturers and energy industry leaders warned at the Wednesday hearing held by the House Committee on State Affairs that delaying the project could be \u201ccatastrophic\u201d for the Permian Basin, which, despite being an energy-rich area, is threatened by inadequate power supply.\u00a0<\/p>\n READ MORE:This project promises power grid reliability for Texas. Hill Country residents aren\u2019t happy.<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day we don\u2019t make a decision on building transmission just exacerbates that issue,\u201d\u00a0 PUC Chair Thomas\u00a0Gleeson\u00a0told the House committee.\u00a0<\/p>\n The state regulatory agency warned lawmakers about the risk of rising outages in West Texas if the transmission lines weren\u2019t built.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe consequences of not getting this right are catastrophic,\u201d said Todd Staples, president of the\u00a0Texas Oil & Gas Association<\/a>. He reminded lawmakers that operations in the Permian Basin shut down when they lost power during the 2021 winter storm because they were not classified as critical infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n But thousands of affected landowners have pushed back, with many saying the 180-day timeline for the PUC to approve or deny an application is inadequate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n