Opponents of a 15-county high-voltage transmission line project say they were improperly notified about proposed routes and are now pushing to slow down the hearing.
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The Bell County East to Big Hill 765 kV transmission line project has faced community opposition since June 2025. Neighbors are now hoping to delay the process after raising claims of improper notification about the proposed routes.
Clare Nelson said she first got involved in opposing the project without expecting it to become a major fight. That changed the more she learned about it.
"Since then I and a number of other people have banded together to oppose this project, not because of NIMB, not in my backyard. It's because once you peel back the onion layers, you realize that this is a money grab, a land grab, and if you follow the money, you see that Oncor gets 10% profit."
Nelson said the first public meeting was held June 17, 2025 in Lampasas — a date she described as critical, noting it has now been about 10 months since that meeting.
Proponents of the 15-county project say it will bring stronger and more efficient energy to the state. But Nelson argues the financial impact will be felt by ratepayers across Texas.
"They say it's going to cost $33 billion to build. Well, that leaves out maintenance, financing, and other things, and Doctor Brent Bennett of the Texas Public Policy Foundation has stated the estimate is closer to 90 to $100 billion. So if you, you, you take that all in and Encore is going to get profit, and who pays for this? All ERCOT ratepayers throughout the state of Texas."
Nelson and other opponents argue the project would not generate any new energy for the state.
"The big hope is that we get a delay. A lot of people talk about having it paused. We're not going to get one Kilowatt of extra energy out of this. It's just, it's just transmission lines. What we need in Texas is localized generation of energy. Where it's needed. Why, why build these lines?"
Many state and local legislators, including Burnet County officials, have come out against the project and are asking for a pause and thorough research before moving forward.
Oncor and the LCRA said they have complied with all applicable rules and regulations throughout the process, including all landowner notifications.
Oncor is still holding public meetings as the upcoming June 8 hearing on the merits of the project is set for Austin. A final decision on the project is anticipated in September 2026.
