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Texas Power Grid Reliability Plan Impact on Val Verde County
- Stevie Quilo
- Apr 23
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 25
POWER Engineers is working to help stabilize the power grid statewide, to build resiliency and prevent disasters like the ‘Winter Freeze’ of February 2021. POWER wants to run a supercharged 765kV single-circuit transmission powerline 300-miles continuously between two new substations in Fort Stockton and San Antonio. They sent a letter to Val Verde County, because it potentially falls within the proposed powerline path, and requested a response by April 7.
A Special Commissioners Court meeting was held on April 4, to plan their response letter to POWER. County Judge Lewis Owens explained, “ERCOT is trying to stabilize the grid, they picked a route, and it just happens to be coming through Val Verde County.” At the meeting, courtroom officials and concerned citizens discussed the potential widespread negative impacts high-wattage powerlines can have on the health, environment, airspace, and ecotourism in Val Verde County.
Precinct I Commissioner Kerr Wardlaw stressed, “if people knew what this is, I believe we would have a full courtroom, and people would be out the door.” Wardlaw said exacerbated, “I can’t believe this was sprung on us so close to the deadline… The letter is dated March 5, but I received it last Monday (March 24).” Assistant County Attorney John Clemmer said, “all we are being asked to do is say whether or not we think there is going to be issues if they try to run through the county.” Developers are looking for the path of least resistance for the powerline. Commissioners hope to raise enough concern, so the powerline will bypass VVC.
The court majority aligned their preference for the transmission line to be built along I-10, avoiding construction along Highway 90 altogether. However, there was some misalignment as to which concerns should be raised to POWER. For example, Owens suggested excluding environmental concerns because it might hinder future pipeline development. A response letter listing their concerns, which included several environmental issues, was written on the Judge’s letterhead. The letter was sent on April 8, one day after POWER’s requested response deadline. All four county commissioners signed, but the Judge’s signature was missing. A day late and a signature short.
TEXAS POWER GRID RESILIENCY & LITIGATION
POWER Engineers is a private energy project management company based in Austin. They were recently acquired by WSP, who is considered a world leader in environmental & sustainability consulting. POWER is waiting to make their next move, based on pending outcomes of ongoing litigative processes. Their letter said powerline determinations are “subject to the Public Utility Commission of Texas' (PUC's) decision by May 1, 2025 (Docket #55718).”
ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) is a nonprofit organization, an independent operator for Texas power systems. ERCOT is responsible for managing the flow of electricity to most of Texas. They coordinate with energy providers like WSP and POWER to satisfy Public Utility Regulatory Acts. In 2024, the Supreme Court of Texas decided to hold ERCOT legally liable for delivering reliable electricity to the state, stating “ERCOT's statutory duties are ensuring the adequacy and reliability of the electric grid and ensuring that electricity production and delivery are accurately accounted.”
The Supreme Court of Texas case summary explained: “During Winter Storm Uri, with the Texas electric grid on the brink of collapse, the Public Utility Commission issued two orders, the effect of which was to raise the market price of electricity to reflect the scarcity of supply, thereby incentivizing generators capable of adding supply to do so and large industrial users to reduce their demand.”
At the April 4 Commissioners Court, Clemmer said, “I don’t believe that if we said we were in opposition to this...” “…that it would really matter,” Owens finished his sentence. Clemmer agreed and continued, “Mostly because this seems to be an ongoing project, from back in 2021, when we had the large winter storms. So, this is all part of the reliability push for the grid itself.”
765kV TRANSMISSION LINE & PROPOSED ROUTES
Wardlaw claimed, “It will come. The powerline is coming through. It’s either coming through here or I-10, they are not gonna go through the center of the study area, they will follow a highway because of using trucks to get supplies in for building. So, it will either be on Highway 90 or I-10, one of the two.”
Owens mentioned that a proposed route along 1-10 has been discussed in recent Austin legislative meetings, but no official route was included in the letter from POWER, just a target study area. Wardlaw explained the study area map, he said, “everything between I-10 and Highway 90 is on the table.” VVC is just a possible route, but more than likely, the powerline is leaning towards the I-10 corridor.
The highest capacity powerline currently in Val Verde County is 138-kV. The proposed 765kV power transmission line carries more energy, faster, and more efficiently. But higher power means stronger electromagnetic fields (EMF). The National Library of Medicine published a study explaining EMF, it states: “Technological devices have become essential components of daily life. However, their deleterious effects on the body, particularly on the nervous system, are well known. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) have various chemical effects, including causing deterioration in large molecules in cells and imbalance in ionic equilibrium.”
CONCERNS RAISED AT COMMISSIONERS COURT
Environmental and health issues were addressed. Dell Dickinson, landowner in Val Verde County, has an educational and professional background in electrical engineering. Dickinson said, “I do have some knowledge about what this transmission plan does as far as EMF forces and stuff like that.” Another landowner Rhonda Hargrove said, “I know the health issues that this stuff is doing to us and our kids, that nobody wants to talk about, with this stuff coming through, the 5G towers and everything else.”
Wardlaw brought up the fact that VVC is a “mecca” of archeological sites and endangered species. Owens countered saying, “I do have a little bit of a problem in hooking up the wagon to the environmental issue, when we have pipelines that run all through our county, and hell, they dig all over the place.” He seemed worried that raising environmental concerns around the powerline could trigger a chain of events that could block future desired development projects.
Ecotourism was also a main concern. People were worried about the powerline being eyesore for VVC recreational sites, detracting from the land’s scenic value. Dickinson predicts powerlines will be upwards of 150 feet tall, of similar magnitude to wind turbines. Wardlaw called it, “pollution of the horizon,” and others were concerned about light pollution. Wardlaw said, “you’re going to be able to see it from Kickapoo Cavern State Park, Seminole Canyon State Park, Devil’s River State Natural Area (North and South), Amistad Recreation Area.”
Wardlaw reiterated, “anybody’s ranch in the county will be visible in this powerline.” He made the conclusion, “It is not a pipeline, a pipeline is underground. There is a huge difference, black and white, between powerlines and pipelines.” Other powerline concerns were the potential challenge of working directly with landowners to negotiate acquisition, and tower height interference as it relates to flight patterns for Laughlin Airforce Base. Owens was also concerned about controlling powerline emergencies if they were to arise, he said, “if something goes wrong, we are going to have to deal with it.”
COUNTY RESPONSE LETTER
The response letter was signed by Commissioners Kerr Wardlaw, Juan Carlos Vazquez, Fernando Garcia, and Gustavo Flores. Judge Lewis Owens signature line was left blank. The letter states, “Val Verde County acknowledges there is a need for reliable power in our great State with the large number of corporations and people coming from other areas of the US.”
Several environmental and archeological concerns are included. The letter focuses on endangered species, ecotourism, and dark sky sanctuary concerns. Laughlin Airforce Base was also highlighted. It says, “the base's remote location provides an ideal environment for training operations, minimizing airspace congestion and ensuring safety.”
The letter concluded: “Finally, a transmission line may impact private property owners' ability to use their land for its intended purpose. Between conservation easements and potential ranching practices it may be difficult to acquire the necessary land use agreements for the construction of these proposed towers. In the past residence have voiced their opposition to wind turbine and solar development.”
DIRECT CONSEQUENCES & INDIRECT BENEFITS
Wardlaw reminded the court room, “it’s just a transmission line, just moving power from Fort Stockton to San Antonio.” That the power running through the lines would not be accessible by Val Verde County. In the future, it could possibly be converted into a distribution line by building a substation in Val Verde County. But commissioners warned that it is not in their control, that they would have no ownership over the powerline, and it seems unlikely to become a distribution source.
A concerned citizen suggested that, because it’s not a distribution line, “there is absolutely no benefit to Val Verde County for this line to come through, no one is going to be able to hook into that and get an electrical supply.” Although it appears there are only direct consequences, and no direct benefits, VVC will receive indirect benefits from statewide grid stabilization. During the winter storm in Feb 2021 when Del Rio lost power for a whole week, it wasn’t necessarily because of power problems in Del Rio, it was because of statewide electrical infrastructure deficiencies. The powerline coming through Val Verde is designed to help stabilize the statewide grid, which includes Del Rio.
The energy industry is growing, responding to increased demand. Ongoing legislative processes are putting more power in the hands of providers. Power infrastructure projects are under development and are taking root in Val Verde County. The county will not have ownership over these projects. Wind, Solar, Pipeline, Powerlines, Battery Storage Facilities… Owens said, “it’s more and more and more coming.”
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