Massive 765kV line includes local option
Readers of The Albany News saw the lengthy 23-page legal notice published in last week’s February 26 edition outlining Oncor’s proposal to construct a new 765-kilovolt transmission line stretching across Central and West Texas.
While the notice includes Shackelford County among the areas studied, the regulatory process requires Oncor to submit a geographically diverse set of potential routes for consideration by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Shackelford County is included among the full list of proposed routes submitted to the commission.
At this time, no final route has been selected. Although Shackelford County is not part of the route identified in filings as the one that “best meets” the commission’s routing criteria, it remains among the geographically diverse route options under review by the PUCT. Depending on the commission’s decision, the line could pass through portions of the county, or it could be routed elsewhere.
The proposed Dinosaur to Longshore transmission line would run from a new switch station near Glen Rose in Somervell County to an existing facility near Forsan in Howard County, covering approximately 235 to 270 miles depending on the route ultimately chosen.
Large-scale
infrastructure project
According to project materials, the line is part of ERCOT’s Permian Basin Reliability Plan. It is also part of ERCOT’s 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan, or STEP, which is designed to ease grid congestion and help meet rapidly growing electric demand across Texas.
While much of the increased demand is occurring in West Texas, ERCOT’s long-term plan envisions the 765-kV network serving the entire state, enabling efficient two-way power flow and helping ensure reliability as Texas continues to grow.
If constructed, the line would use self-supporting steel lattice towers and require a right-of-way approximately 200 feet wide. Such structures are among the largest transmission facilities used in Texas and would create a permanent corridor across rural land.
Oncor’s application includes a detailed environmental assessment and routing study documenting the evaluation of hundreds of potential route segments across the broader study area.
Timeline for decisions
Oncor filed its formal application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas in late 2025. The commission will then review the project, consider public input, and select a final route.
If approved, construction could begin in 2027, with the line expected to be in service by 2029.
Local participation options
Landowners whose property may be affected, as well as those living within 520 feet of a proposed route, have the right to participate in the regulatory process.
The most important deadline is March 23, 2026, when the Public Utility Commission must receive requests from individuals who wish to formally intervene in the case.
Landowners may apply to become intervenors or submit comments as protestors through the Public Utility Commission’s website. Information about how to participate in a commission proceeding, including how to file as a protestor, is available at:
https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/participate/
Filing as an intervenor allows property owners to present evidence, participate in hearings, and argue for changes to the proposed routing.
Residents who do not wish to intervene may still submit written comments or complaints to the commission regarding the project.
Requests to intervene or comments can be filed electronically through the Public Utility Commission’s website at:
https://interchange.puc.texas.gov
Hard-copy filings may also be mailed to:
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Central Records – Filing Clerk
1701 N. Congress Avenue
P.O. Box 13326
Austin, TX 78711-3326
Additional
information
Detailed maps showing the alternative route corridors are available for public review at the Shackelford County Clerk’s Office in Albany.
Residents with questions about the project may also contact Oncor project representative Christine Williams at (214) 486-5841.
