When it comes to electric transmission infrastructure, inadequate planning has resulted in an emergency for all Texans.
Most important, poor planning has driven up electric bills through transmission congestion costs — and it does not have to be this way.
About 20 years ago, Texas invested heavily in transmission lines to lower energy costs, and it worked. Despite rapid growth, however, we have not kept up the grid investment. It’s past time to start building again.
From 2021 to 2024, transmission congestion within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, known as ERCOT, cost consumers more than $7 billion — passed along to electric bills. Congestion happens when power lines hit capacity limits and they can’t move any more electricity, forcing the use of higher-cost generators instead of cheaper alternatives. Strategic transmission upgrades can alleviate this burden.
In the early 2000s, congestion between West and Central Texas blocked low-cost wind power. The $6.9 billion Competitive Renewable Energy Zones, or CREZ, initiative added 3,600 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. This alleviated congestion and facilitated the addition of massive amounts of new low-cost generation capacity, solidifying Texas’ position as a leader in affordable energy.
The lines we built paid for themselves in less than a decade, unlocking local economic growth, saving Texans billions of dollars and reducing wholesale electricity market costs. With an expected service life of more than 50 years, these lines will deliver returns many times over their initial cost.
A recent report by a University of Texas at Austin researcher estimates that generation facilities enabled by these lines will contribute nearly $50 billion in local taxes and landowner payments over their lifetimes, reducing the need for tax hikes and even allowing local tax reductions.
As costly as today’s congestion is, it could soon get worse. Artificial intelligence requires immense amounts of electricity. Without expanded transmission, Texas risks missing out on economic-development opportunities and worsening congestion-driven price hikes. We stand to lose twice if we fail to act.
Investing in transmission infrastructure is not just about meeting demand, it’s about securing long-term prosperity and national security. Reliable, affordable energy keeps Texas businesses competitive. Reducing congestion lowers costs, attracts investment, and enhances grid resilience and energy independence.
Beyond making economic sense for our state, proactively deploying the infrastructure we need also aligns with the Trump administration’s energy dominance goals — deploying transmission infrastructure has been directly called out as vital for national security and economic strength.
Furthermore, the U.S. must lead in AI, rather than ceding ground to China or other adversaries. Texas, with its abundant but bottlenecked energy resources, is uniquely positioned to power this technological revolution if we start building again.
It’s true that more energy means more security, but only if we can get it to where it needs to go. History proves that smart investments in transmission pay off. By acting now, Texas can reduce congestion and pave the way for a more robust, secure and cost-effective energy future.
Addressing this challenge is not just a technical fix, it’s an economic and security imperative. By doing so, Texas lawmakers can ensure residents and businesses benefit from reliable, affordable and secure sources of energy. Texans deserve a grid that works for them, not against them.
Matt Welch is the state director of Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation, a nonprofit education and policy organization that advances clean energy with free market solutions.
Source: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/texas-grid-transmission-lines-20249635.php
