DALLAS — Oncor and LCRA Transmission Services Corporation have applied for state approval to build a high-voltage transmission line spanning from Schleicher to Bell counties, a project officials say is critical to keeping pace with Texas' surging electricity demand.
The two companies filed a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas for the Bell County East–Big Hill 765 kilovolt transmission line. The proposed line is one of four 765kV projects Oncor is helping construct as part of Phase One of ERCOT's Texas 765kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan, known as STEP.
"Securing electric reliability is vital for meeting the needs of all Texans," said Ellen Buck, Oncor senior vice president and chief operating officer. "The 765kV transmission network will help support that need, providing for the safe and reliable flow of electricity throughout Texas at a time when we're seeing unprecedented, dynamic growth."
Jan Rose, whose ranch is near Bertram in Burnett County, told 25 News' Charles Molineaux she was blindsided last spring when she learned the planned transmission line would run directly across her family's property.
The project's study area covers 15 counties. Over the past year, Oncor and LCRA TSC held a series of public open houses and collected feedback from thousands of Texans on preliminary routes. Based on that input, the companies expanded the study area and modified proposed routes.
The PUCT is expected to select a final route in September. If approved, Oncor anticipates the line will be energized by 2030, pending any schedule changes.
765kV lines carry electricity at a higher voltage than the 345kV and 138kV lines currently in use across Texas, allowing more power to travel farther and more efficiently while requiring less land than comparable lower-voltage infrastructure. More than 2,400 miles of 765kV lines are already in operation across the United States and Canada.
