ODESSA, Texas – In a decisive move for the state’s energy infrastructure, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) voted unanimously on Friday to approve amendments to two Certificates of Convenience and Necessity filed by Oncor. The approvals clear the way for more than 400 miles of 765‑kilovolt transmission lines that will carry electricity from Bosque County and San Antonio into the oil‑rich Permian Basin.
Local impact and landowner concerns
While the projects promise to ease a long‑standing power bottleneck for oil, gas and industrial manufacturers, the decision sparked fierce opposition from landowners across at least 30 counties. At the hearing, Commissioner Courtney Hjaltman acknowledged the personal stakes, saying, “We understand this is about your land, your heart, and we do not take it lightly.” Yet the commission concluded that Oncor met all legal requirements.
Landowners testified that the proposed routes would damage farmland that families have tended for generations, scar wildlife habitats, and interfere with cattle‑herding operations. Rocky Sullivan, owner of Two Rivers Ranch in Medina and Uvalde counties, warned that the lines would jeopardize his cattle and hunting business, noting the reliance on helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft for essential ranch tasks.
Industry’s case for the lines
Representatives for the Texas Oil and Gas Association and Diamondback Energy argued the lines are essential for the region’s economic vitality. Todd Staples, the association’s president, warned that without reliable interconnection to the ERCOT grid, West Texas homes, schools and businesses face rolling outages. Diamondback Energy’s lobbyist Betsy Madru highlighted that the company already generates 80 MW on‑site and still draws 330 MW from the grid, underscoring the need for faster, dependable service.
Industry leaders say the Permian Basin’s rapid growth has outpaced existing transmission capacity, creating a decade‑long delay that threatens both jobs and tax revenue. They point to the $27 billion the sector contributed to Texas last year for roads and schools as evidence of the broader community benefit.
Legal and legislative backdrop
The approvals are the final administrative hurdle before construction can begin, pending any successful legal challenges. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an amicus brief supporting the landowner group American Liberty Stewards, arguing that the statutes authorizing the PUC do not specifically mention 765‑kV lines and that the legislature should have a chance to weigh the risks.
Earlier, Rep. Charlie Geren (R‑Fort Worth) authored a 2023 bill directing ERCOT to develop a reliability plan for the Permian Basin, which passed with little opposition. ERCOT’s draft plan offered several upgrade options, ultimately recommending the high‑voltage lines as the most effective solution.
What comes next?
With the PUC’s green light, Oncor and its partners can move toward breaking ground, though construction timelines remain uncertain. Landowners have pledged to pursue legal avenues and continue lobbying for route adjustments that would protect private property and natural resources.
As the debate unfolds, the story highlights a classic Texas tension: balancing the state’s energy leadership and economic growth with the constitutional rights of property owners to protect their land and way of life.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
