Oncor and LCRA TSC argue that HB 5066 and the Permian Basin Reliability Plan (PBRP) satisfy the issue of need for the Bell County East to Big Hill (Bell County) and Big Hill to Sand Lake (Sand Lake) 765kV CCN applications.
The Bell County State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) disagree.
The Bell County SOAH ALJs conclude that Oncor and LCRA TSC failed to show this 765kV transmission line was needed because the PBRP foundation failed. As a result, Oncor and LCRA TSC's CCN applications also fail, like a House of Cards.
ALJs Conclude Applications Should Be Denied The SOAH ALJs recommend the Bell County East and Sand Lake projects should be denied in their Proposal for Decision (PFD) for Bell County East issued on Thursday,August 20, 2026, based on the following conclusions: - Oncor and LCRATSC failed to show that Import Path 2 was needed.
- Oncor and LCRA TSC violated the public meeting requirements for 1,400 landowners located on roughly 400 miles of new route links added when the CCN application was filed.
The PFD is the ALJs recommendation to the PUC. The PUC will make the final decision at a Hearing that will likely be scheduled near the end of September.
The SOAH ALJs are telling the PUC they should deny the Bell County East and Sand Lake 765kV CCN applications.
Need: The ALJs found ERCOT's projected load forecasts were unverified, overstated, flawed and unsubstantiated. The ALJ's concluded (1) ERCOT's PBRP does not support the need for Bell County East and Sand Lake, and (2) Oncor and LCRA TSC failed to show that Bell County or Sand Lake are needed.
Due Process: The ALJs also said that affected landowners raised due process concerns based largely on the compressed schedule caused by the 180-day deadline for decision, which was implemented in HB 5066. The ALJs noted they are not allowed to resolve constitutional challenges such as Due Process. But theALJs summarized the due process concerns in the PFD to give the PUC and any reviewing court a complete record of these issues.
PUC Chairman Gleeson, Oncor and the other TSPs, many legislators, landowners and attorneys agree that 180 days is too compressed for the complex Permian Basin 765kV transmission line cases. Several legislators have expressed interest in extending the 180-day timeline during the 2027 regular session.
Oncor's public relations coalition says Texans deserve a process that is fair, transparent and understandable and they consider calls for a better process an essential component of upgrading and maintaining the grid...for future proceedings. Does this mean that Oncor thinks landowners and Intervenors impacted by the five current CCN applications don't deserve due process?
House State Affairs Committee Hearing
The House State Affairs Committee met to hear invited and public testimony about Data Centers and 765kV Transmission Lines on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (House Hearing). The Hearing covered Data Centers for the first six hours and 765kV transmission lines for the last six hours, which lasted from 2pm to 8pm.
Panels of public witnesses testified between each of the invited witness panels. An estimated 300 people, mostly landowners, attended the 765kV hearing. Public testimony was provided by 46 landowners, compared to over 200 landowners for the Senate Business & Commerce Committee Hearing on July 29, 2026 (Senate Hearing).
Many landowners that registered were not allowed to testify because the House Hearing ended at 8pm. All landowners were allowed to testify at the Senate Hearing, and public testimony lasted five hours until 12:30am.
The McCulloch County Commissioners Court and County Attorney Greg Torres attended the House Hearing and the Senate Hearing. Mr. Torres provided public testimony at both Hearings. Terry Phillips, Brady City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem also provided public testimony at the House Hearing. McCulloch County landowners appreciate the ongoing support they've received from their local elected officials.
Thirty-one House representatives, led by Representative Brad Buckley, issued a statement the morning after the House Hearing saying HB 5066 did not contemplate 765kV lines and the 180-day timeline in the bill was never intended for projects running transmission lines across Texas. These 31 representatives called on the PUC to deny all five Permian Basin CCN applications for 765kV transmission lines, and they pledged to do their part to make appropriate reforms in the 2027 regular session.
PUC Meeting on Dinosaur & Drill Hole The PUC held a meeting on Friday, August 21, 2026, to discuss and take possible action on the Dinosaur and Drill Hole 765kV CCN applications (i.e. the North 765kV transmission line).
The meeting consisted of oral arguments from Intervenors and Oncor. Five parties provided oral arguments for Drill Hole, and 28 parties provided oral arguments for Dinosaur. The meeting was held in a large ballroom at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center in Austin. There were a significant number of chairs in the room and they were mostly empty. Clearly the PUC was expecting more people to attend this meeting.
Chairman Gleeson said the Commissioners will consider and reconcile the oral arguments to the evidence in the record. Then the PUC will bring Dinosaur and Drill Hole back at a future meeting for further discussion and possible action.
The PUC has scheduled their next meeting at 9:30am, Friday, August 28, 2026. The Howard to Solstice 765kV CCN application (i.e. the South 765kV transmission line) is on the agenda and will likely consist of oral arguments. Dinosaur and Drill Hole are also shown on the agenda, but it is uncertain if the PUC will be ready to move forward on these CCN applications at that time.
It's Not a Little Too Late to do the Right Thing Now Thirty-one House representatives called for the PUC to deny the five Permian Basin CCN applications. Lt Gov Patrick, Chairman Schwertner and other Senators have also called for the PUC to deny the five Permian Basin CCN applications. The Bell County SOAH ALJs recommend the PUC should deny the Bell County and Sand Lake 765kV CCN applications.
GovernorAbbott has not made any public statements about the 765kV transmission line applications. Landowners want to hear from their Governor.
Tanya Tucker was the first public witness to testify at the House Hearing, same as the Senate Hearing. Ms. Tucker sang a slightly different chorus for her song 'It's a Little Too Late', singing 'it's not too late to do the Right Thing Now.'
Governor Abbott and Chairman Gleeson, landowners say to you that it is not too late to do the right thing now. Landowners deserve due process. Please deny the five 765kV CCN applications.