Texas Regulators Approve Two Massive West Texas Transmission Lines Amid Landowner Outcry
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has unanimously approved the buildout of over 400 miles of new transmission lines in West Texas. This decision, which includes amendments to two Certificates of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) filed by Oncor, aims to deliver much-needed electricity to the oil and gas and industrial manufacturing industries in the Permian Basin. The approved projects are the first proposals from the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, passed by lawmakers in 2023, to receive regulatory clearance. The plan involves constructing 765-kilovolt transmission lines, which are larger than any currently in Texas, spanning at least 30 counties. This approval comes despite significant opposition from landowners along the proposed routes and calls from some Texas Senate and House members to delay the decision for legislative reform of the approval process. The commission, however, sided with Oncor, stating the company met legal requirements, while acknowledging the personal impact on landowners. 
