Tanya Tucker And Dennis Quaid Ask Governor Abbott To Stop A Texas Power Line Project

High voltage power lines are meeting resistance from Texas lawmakers and celebrities.

Backlash Grows Against Proposed 765-kV Central Texas Transmission Lines

Public and political resistance is intensifying against a huge high-voltage transmission line project that plans to cut through nearly 200 miles of Central Texas countryside. Currently under review by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the proposed 765-kilovolt network would cross multiple counties including Bell, Burnet, Coryell, Lampasas, and Concho.

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Celebrity Pushback

Country music icon Tanya Tucker and actor Dennis Quaid have both joined the chorus of voices appealing directly to Governor Abbott to stop the project. Tanya is a Seminole, Texas native while Dennis was born in Houston. Critics argue that constructing the transmission lines across private ranches and farms will permanently alter historic family lands, damage wildlife habitats, lower property values, and hinder farming operations.

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Lawmaker Pushback

Bell County State Rep. Brad Buckley, alongside State Sen. Kevin Sparks, formally petitioned regulators to delay any binding decisions until the conclusion of the 90th Texas Legislative Session in May 2027. Buckley clarified that the request aims not to kill grid development, but to ensure state officials operate with updated information.

Legislative Action and Legislative Hearings

The push for a pause is gaining momentum at the capitol. In addition to the joint letter from Buckley and Sparks, which calls on ERCOT to re-evaluate grid needs in light of recent surges in proposed natural gas generation, a coalition of 43 Texas lawmakers submitted a filing earlier this summer demanding deeper regulatory review.

The Next Step

The debate moves to the Texas Capitol on Wednesday, July 29, when the Senate Business & Commerce Committee convenes to examine grid reliability alongside the impact of 765-kV lines on private property rights. Buckley is actively encouraging affected citizens to attend and submit testimony.

Grid Reliability

Proponents of the infrastructure project maintain that expanding high-capacity transmission corridors is critical to reinforcing the state grid. The PUC has not issued a final ruling and is expected to review further testimony from both industry advocates and community opponents before determining the project's fate.