Dinosaur – Longshore 765 kV Transmission Line Project

• Oncor has proposed a new 765,000 volt, steel-lattice high volage transmission line that would start at a new switching station to be built just north of Glen Rose (the “Dinosaur Switch”), and run west and connect to another Oncor switch located just west of Forsan (Howard County), just south of Big Spring (the “Longshore Switch”).  (Oncor)
• The line would span approximately 250 miles, traversing numerous counties.  Although the final route for the line has not been determined, it may impact landowners in Hood, Somervell, Erath, Comanche, Eastland, Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Taylor, Runnels, Nolan, Coke, Mitchell, Sterling, Howard, and Glasscock Counties. (Oncor)
• Oncor filed its application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) with the Texas Public Utilities Commission on February 19, 2026.
• Property owners potentially impacted by the proposed transmission line received notice of the filing, and more than 1,000 landowners have either protested the line or intervened in the PUC proceeding.
• The filings can be accessed here  https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Search/Filings?ControlNumber=59315
• The PUC referred the matter to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) to assign an administrative law judge and to conduct a hearing on the project, which is typical.  That order can be accessed here  https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59315_896_1590795.PDF
• The hearing occurred from May 4-11, 2026, and various parties submitted post-hearing briefs in late May and early June.
• Oncor identified “Route 552” among the various proposed alternate route as its preferred route for the transmission line, but PUC Staff recommended a substantially different route – “Route 713.”  You can access the PUC Staff engineer’s written testimony regarding Route 713 here  https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59315_4501_1623191.PDF
• The administrative law judges who conducted the hearing are expected to issue their ruling (called a “proposal for decision”) in July.
• Under Texas law, the PUC must either approve or deny Oncor’s application within 180 days after it is filed – that deadline is August 18, 2026.
• The PUC may adopt the administrative law judges’ ruling, modify it, or reject it and select a different route altogether.
• Once the PUC issues its decision, Oncor will quickly begin efforts to acquire easements along the approved line.

Technical & Physical Impacts

• Tower design: The project will use self-supporting steel lattice towers (Oncor):

• These towers are expected to be well over 150 feet tall, and as the diagram provided by Oncor shows, they will be approximately 140 feet wide and will require easement widths of 200 feet or more.
• This will undoubtedly cause major impacts to agriculture, ranching, irrigation, wildlife, viewscapes, drainage, fencing, roads and other property functions, especially during the construction of the line.
• Oncor will likely attempt to use past examples of easement acquisition costs for lower voltage transmission lines to determine the easement values for this, first of its kind, 765 kV line.
• But this line is not just taller and wider, it is fundamentally different in kind.  Landowners need lawyers experienced at evaluating damage to rural farm and ranch property and presenting that evidence to judges and juries to ensure that they receive fair, adequate, and full compensation.