Texas regulators approve 370-mile Howard Solstice transmission line

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved the Howard Solstice transmission line project, a 370-mile endeavor designed to transport electricity to the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin. The approval is conditional, requiring the two involved transmission companies to work with landowners to modify routes to minimize construction through grasslands and reduce property damage concerns.

The project spans 14 counties, including Uvalde, Kerr, Bexar, and Medina. This decision follows recent approvals of similar high-voltage lines in North Texas and is part of a broader state effort to expand electricity infrastructure to support West Texas oil production and the growing industrial sector.

While the Howard Solstice project moved forward, two other proposals were sent back to the agency’s administrative courts. Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson noted that the recommendations for those specific proposals were incomplete, citing a lack of clarity regarding federal reliability standards and potential consumer savings.