Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Business and Commerce Committee Chairman Charles Schwertner are urging state regulators to reject the pending applications for Texas’ controversial 765-kilovolt transmission line project, arguing the approval process is fundamentally flawed and should be overhauled before the proposals move forward.
“This week, the Senate Business and Commerce Committee held a 15-hour hearing to examine the state of Texas’ electricity market and the proposed 765kV ultra-high voltage transmission lines intended to support load growth in West Texas,” Schwertner said in a statement.
He said testimony from landowners and their representatives highlighted “significant concerns” about the approval process, including inadequate notice from utilities, shortened timelines for Public Utility Commission proceedings, and due process concerns at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
“These concerns demonstrate the need for a complete overhaul of the [Certificate of Convenience and Necessity] process before these applications can advance,” Schwertner said.
“Accordingly, I am calling on the PUC to deny the existing CCN applications. Any reapplications need to take into consideration the concerns raised during our hearing. The Legislature will reform the CCN process next session to ensure future projects are fair and transparent.”
Shortly afterward, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick publicly backed Schwertner’s request and pledged to make the issue a priority during the 90th Legislative Session.
“I agree with Chairman Schwertner in calling on the PUC to deny the pending applications for 765-kV transmission lines, and not consider re-applications, until the transmission companies can address the serious concerns raised by landowners at Wednesday’s hearing,” Patrick wrote.
Patrick said testimony before the committee made it “abundantly clear” that the current approval process is “broken and must be reformed.”
While acknowledging that Texas needs additional transmission infrastructure to meet growing electricity demand, Patrick argued that expanding the grid should not come at the expense of private property rights.
“If these lines are going to be built, which many believe must be built, then the PUC’s transmission approval process must not only prioritize strengthening the grid, but also protect Texas landowners and communities,” Patrick wrote.
The statements follow Wednesday’s 15-hour Senate hearing, where lawmakers questioned regulators over the proposed 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan and its projected costs, route selection, and impact on private property.
During that hearing, PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson acknowledged that House Bill 5066, passed in 2023, did not explicitly require a 765-kV transmission system, but instead directed ERCOT to develop a plan to provide electricity to the Permian Basin. Regulators ultimately chose the extra-high-voltage option after reviewing ERCOT’s recommendations.
Lawmakers also heard hours of testimony from landowners who argued the current process deprives property owners of adequate notice and due process while allowing transmission companies to advance routes that could result in the use of eminent domain.
The issue is also drawing attention in the Texas House. On Friday, Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that the House Committee on State Affairs will hold an interim hearing on the proposed 765-kV transmission lines on Aug. 19. Burrows said the hearing would help ensure Texans “have a meaningful voice in the planning of this project.”
The Public Utility Commission did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
