Bell County and City of Burnet Retaliate Transmission Line Project
Map courtesy of Oncor Electric
Bell County and the City of Burnet forged a Highland Lakes sub-regional planning commission to fight Oncor Electric’s impending 765 kV transmission line, known as the Bell County East to Big Hill Transmission Line project.
This over 200-mile transmission line would expand Oncor’s existing Bell County East Switch line and connect to a new Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) substation, in effort to bring more power to West Texas. The new line would span across Bell, Burnet, Menard, San Saba and Schleicher counties, impacting approximately 200 private property owners along the way.
According to the Daily Trib, this transmission line would “likely require around 200- to 300-foot easements and 15- to 18-story towers suspending the highest voltage powerlines that Texas has ever seen,” powering increased demand for the cryptocurrency, hydrogen and petroleum industries, among others.
“This is an interesting case as we are seeing more and more local government entities and advocacy groups pushing back on the routes proposed by many of the major electric transmission line companies on large-scale energy projects such as this,” said Barron Adler attorney Nicholas Laurent. “These projects bring with them a number of concerns including aesthetics, safety, and proximity of public spaces and this sort of community engagement can be very effective in minimizing land impacts.”
Oncor and the LCRA are expected to file an official application in March 2026. Afterwards, residents and community members have 30 days to submit comments, and the Public Utility Commission is expected to make a final decision on the project later in the year. The project would be expected to complete in 2030.
Property owners who believe they may be impacted by the Bell County East to Big Hill Transmission Line project can contact Barron, Adler, Clough & Oddo, PLLC, to discuss their case with an experienced eminent domain and condemnation attorney.
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