For Texas grid resilience we need to modernize transmission lines

From The Dallas Morning News.

As I reflect on my time serving in Austin, I am reminded of the many successes the Texas Legislature has achieved in recent years on several major issues: delivering property tax relief, ensuring public safety — particularly at our southern border, defending private property rights and promoting the strength of the Texas economy. These issues impact all Texans, and I am eager to begin working toward commonsense solutions for another critical challenge: electric grid reliability.

The reliability of the Texas electric grid has been a major topic of discussion and concern since the winter freeze of 2021. A dependable grid requires, in part, the development of new power generation and expanded grid capacity. In 2023, the Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott took significant steps toward that goal by passing the Texas Energy Fund and implementing sweeping reforms to enhance supply-side reliability.

However, no amount of power generation will make a meaningful difference if we cannot efficiently deliver electricity to where it is needed. The inability to provide affordable and reliable power is a serious issue, costing Texas ratepayers billions of dollars each year.

Fortunately, the Legislature recognized this challenge and took proactive steps, including the Texas Senate’s interim study on transmission, which aimed to “reduce barriers to constructing the necessary electric infrastructure to support the growing demand and changes in technology.”

This effort comes at a critical time. Last spring, ERCOT estimated that Texas’ power needs will nearly double by 2030. To meet those demands, the state’s transmission system — composed of the tall towers and long-haul lines responsible for delivering electricity from power plants to local utilities — must be modernized and expanded.