Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a legal brief supporting a pause on a $33 billion transmission line expansion, arguing that the Texas Legislature should review the massive project before it moves forward.
The project involves constructing 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines across the state. It originated from House Bill 5066, enacted in 2023, which directed the Public Utility Commission to order ERCOT to develop a long-term reliability plan for high-growth areas such as the Permian Basin. That plan has since grown into a statewide buildout now priced at $33 billion.
Parton argues that the Legislature never explicitly contemplated this scale of expansion. The original fiscal note for HB 5066 projected no anticipated costs to the state or consumers, and no legislator, committee, or governor had adequate notice of the eventual expense. Paxton is asking the Public Utility Commission to defer any determination on the project until the 90th Legislature can review its scope, costs, and impact on private landowners and provide clear policy guidance.
"We need to ensure that a project of this size is being carried out in a way that is best for the people of Texas," Paxton said. "That is why I am calling for a pause on this project until a full and thorough review can be done. This includes an independent analysis of the costs to ratepayers and the impact on private property owners. There must be clear guardrails from the Legislature for this scale of buildout. I will always act to put Texans first."