Contested Case Procedural Schedule The State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) held a prehearing conference on Tuesday, April 14th, where attorneys for Oncor, LCRA TSC and the Intervenors agreed on the procedural schedule. At the prehearing conference, an attorney said there were 195 Intervenors. This number has now increased to 280 Intervenors, with one week to go until the April 27th intervention deadline.
Following are key dates on the procedural schedule:
• April 27, 2026 - Intervention Deadline
• May 13, 2026 Deadline for Intervenors to file direct testimony or a statement of position
• May 15, 2026 - Deadline for Intervenors to serve Discovery on Oncor & LCRA TSC
• May 18, 2026 - Hearing on Route Adequacy
• June 8-12, 2026 - Hearing on the Merits
• August 18, 2026 - Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) submits Proposal for Decision to the PUC
• September 22, 2026 - PUC Decision Deadline Intervenors are required to submit written testimony or a statement of position by May 13, 2026. Intervenors failing to do so will be dismissed and not allowed to participate further in the Contested Case.
Intervenors can file a statement challenging the adequacy of the proposed routes by May 6, 2026. A Hearing on Route Adequacy will be held on May 18, 2026, if the ALJ determines a need for the hearing.
All witnesses who filed direct testimony, including all Intervenors, must participate in the Hearing on the Merits either in person or by videoconference. All witnesses are subject to cross examination at the hearing.
After the Hearing on the Merits, all parties will file written closing arguments (briefs), which are due by June 19, 2026. The ALJ will review all evidence and briefs and issue their proposal for decision to the PUC by August 18, 2026. The PUC will then issue their final decision by September 22, 2026.
Go to the PUC website at puc.texas.gov to reach the PUC Interchange Filing System. Click on 'Central Records & Filings' in the menu, then 'Filings Search', then enter '59475' in the 'Control Number' field and click 'Search'. The Oncor & LCRATSC Proposed Procedural Schedule is Item 550.
PUC Interchange Filing System All documents related to the Bell County East to Big Hill CCN application are filed in Docket 59475 in the PUC Interchange filing system. These documents include: Motions to Intervene, Discovery Requests, Direct Testimony, Orders from the SOAH and PUC, any other motions from Oncor/LCRA TSC or Intervenors, and public comment letters.
PUC Docket 59475 currently has over 730 filed items. McCulloch County Special Meeting The McCulloch County Commissioners Court will hold a Special Meeting at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, to discuss and determine if Mc-Culloch County will file a motion to intervene in the Bell County East to Big Hill 765kV transmission line project. Attached to this e-mail is a copy of the notice for this meeting.
Burnet County filed a motion to intervene on April 2, 2026, and the SOAH approved the motion on April 13, 2026 in SOAH Order No. 3.
Note from the Editor:
When I asked Judge Fauley to comment on if San Saba County Commissioners Court were going to file such a motion. Here is his response: We support our neighboring counties in their efforts to support their community. We share the same desire to not have the 765Kv transmission lines impact our counties. However, San Saba County is in a different scenario than our neighbors. Both Burnet and McCulloch Counties have a potential option of a route being chosen that does involve their community, San Saba does not. Every optional route crosses San Saba County. Due to this, San Saba County has elected to retain legal counsel to guide us through this process to do all within our power to protect our County. A public meeting was held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, with a great turnout to make sure our effected landowners understand the process, how to intervene and how to get involved in protecting their properties.
- from Judge Jody Fauley