4 days ago
Oncor hosts Sweetwater open house on transmission line issues
SWEETWATER, Texas () – Hundreds of residents from the Big Country gathered in Sweetwater on Tuesday for the second of three open house events hosted by Oncor. The purpose of these events is to address questions and assess community concerns regarding a proposed large-scale transmission line that is planned for construction across an eight-county area of the state. While multiple routes for the transmission line have been proposed, one option would pass directly through the heart of the Big Country.
This project dates back to 2023, when Governor Abbott signed Texas House Bill 5066. The bill was designed to address the state's increasing energy demands, with a specific focus on expanding the reliable transmission of electricity to areas expected to require more power in the coming years.
HB 5066 requires the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to develop a 'Reliability Plan for regions experiencing rapid electrical load growth.' The bill specifically identifies the Permian Basin as one of the areas that needs such a reliability plan. ERCOT submitted the plan for the Permian Basin on July 25, 2024, and it was subsequently approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
MAP: Large transmission line could cut through Big Country, public meetings taking place
This project is larger than those previously seen in the state, and PUCT calls its approval a 'landmark decision'. 'It would see the 'Dinosaur' switch near Glen Rose connected to the 'Longshore' switch just west of Forsan through the use of 'extra high voltage' transmission lines. It would be the first of its kind to be built in the ERCOT region.
According to Oncor, the 765 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines would run approximately 235-270 miles long, depending on the route chosen.
In response to the question of why extra high-voltage lines are used over others, PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson stated in a news release on April 24, 'Extra high-voltage lines are more efficient and strengthen reliability. Because each line can carry more power, fewer lines are necessary to serve the needs of the Permian Basin Region, meaning less disruption to Texas landowners, natural habitats, and landscapes. Our priority now is ensuring utilities execute these projects quickly and at the lowest possible cost to Texas consumers.'
Although the use of larger capacity power lines would take up less overall space, residents like Randyll and Gail Baker of Tuscola, whose home is located on property that a potential line would pass through, strongly oppose the construction of such large towers in their neighborhood.
'The people that moved out to Tuscola area wanted it for that good family living. To have that size of a tower come through a neighborhood, that's a concern,' said Gail.
'It would definitely be, in our view. I built our house facing the northeast for the view of Cedar Gap, and it's gonna go right through there,' Randyll added.
The Bakers shared their concerns with many online. Some residents of Buffalo Gap have organized to oppose the route, which would affect the area's natural beauty.
'It's not gonna be a single little line. It'll be a row of towers and clearing out a lot of land. And Buffalo Gap's a beautiful area, so it would be a shame if they routed it through some of the prettier areas,' said Tuscola resident Mark Burkett.
But concerns aren't purely visual. Both the Bakers and Burkett voice displeasure with the potential impact on their property value if the line is constructed along the Buffalo Gap route.
'Our big concerns are: how is that gonna impact the value of our property? I assume there will be compensation, but I also doubt the compensation would compensate you adequately for the loss of value,' Burkett said
KTAB/KRBC discussed these concerns with Oncor Senior Media Relations Specialist Roxana Rubio, who says PUCT will consider them all. The purpose of the open house events is to gather community input to guide PUCT's decision.
'We really appreciate hearing from our customers… Any time that we build a new transmission, a new transmission line, no matter the voltage, we follow a very thorough process. Part of that process is to make sure that we're engaging with the local communities,' said Rubio.
At the Sweetwater event, residents not only had their questions answered but also filled out forms to detail their concerns and express their feelings about the proposed routes.
'So that information will be submitted to the PUCT, and the potential routes will ultimately be submitted to the PUCT, who will have their own community input before determining which route we should begin construction on,' Rubio said.
The next Oncor open house is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4. It will be held in Stephenville at the Cross Timbers Legacy Center, 830 S. Graham Avenue, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The event is open to the public.
The Oncor website has more information on the 'Dinosaur-Longshore' project and downloadable forms for public participation and outreach.
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