TRII urges Texas lawmakers to back 765kV grid upgrades

Texans for Responsible Infrastructure Investment submitted written testimony to a Texas Senate committee on July 29, 2026, arguing that Texas needs faster electric transmission expansion to keep pace with growth. The group says 765kV lines would move more power with less land, lower congestion costs and help avoid delays that could raise bills and slow development.

Why it matters: - Texas is facing rising electricity demand from population growth, manufacturing, oil-and-gas electrification and new large loads. - TRII says the state needs more transmission now to keep electricity reliable and affordable as the Texas economy expands. - Transmission congestion is already increasing costs for ratepayers and businesses. - A delay in upgrades could slow or even stall growth, according to the testimony.

What happened: - Texans for Responsible Infrastructure Investment submitted written testimony to the Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce on July 29, 2026. - TRII Executive Chair Bill Lauderback delivered the testimony and backed major upgrades to Texas electric transmission infrastructure. - The testimony argued that Texas must expand both generation and transmission to meet future demand. - TRII said the state is already behind and should not pause ongoing upgrades to reopen planning and studies that have already been completed.

The details: - The testimony says the Legislature, ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas have studied the issue and concluded that 765kV is the right choice. - TRII said 765kV lines require substantially less land than lower-capacity lines to move the same amount of power. - The testimony said 765kV loses less electricity in transit and delivers more power where it is needed. - ERCOT’s head-to-head analysis found that choosing 345kV instead of 765kV for the same projected load would save about $800 million in initial capital. - TRII said those upfront savings would be offset by about 420 additional miles of new right-of-way and about 11% greater line losses. - The testimony said 765kV could save Texas about $230 million a year over the 30-year life of the lines. - TRII said the initial cost difference would be recovered in about four years. - ERCOT planning forecasts show statewide peak demand on track to roughly double within about a decade. - The testimony cites the Permian Basin as a major growth area, with demand near 11,000 megawatts today and rising toward 26,000 megawatts by 2038. - Texas ratepayers paid more than $7 billion in transmission congestion costs between 2021 and 2024. - West Texas now has the highest average electricity prices in ERCOT, and load there grew more than 12% in a single year. - TRII said 765kV is proven technology, not an experiment. - American Electric Power energized the first U.S. 765kV line in 1969 and now operates about 2,200 miles across six states. - More than 2,400 miles of 765kV transmission have operated safely across the United States and Canada for decades. - TRII said the core questions around high-voltage lines were answered in the 1960s and 1970s, and Texas now faces a different demand profile.

Between the lines: - The testimony is as much about timing as technology. - TRII is arguing that Texas has already done enough study and should move from planning to construction. - The group is framing congestion as a hidden tax that punishes growth and raises costs for every customer. - The message also pushes back against local opposition by presenting 765kV as established infrastructure rather than a new experiment.

What's next: - TRII wants Texas lawmakers to keep the upgrade process moving instead of pausing for more review. - The group says any delay would back up the interconnection queue and postpone generation that Texas needs. - TRII warned that slower action could shift future growth to other states and leave Texans with a larger catch-up bill.

The bottom line: - TRII is urging Texas to build bigger transmission lines now, arguing that delay will cost more money, more land and more time than moving ahead with 765kV upgrades.