Statewide consumer advocates and stakeholders are raising concerns that the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has not implemented key transmission cost reforms required under Section 6 of Texas Senate Bill 6, despite the law’s passage in May 2025.
The proposed $33 billion 765-kilovolt transmission projects in Central Texas—estimated to approach $80 billion when financing, maintenance, and long-term returns are included—are funded by Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) ratepayers, representing over 27 million customers and roughly 90% of Texas electricity load. Under the current framework, residential customers and small businesses ultimately bear these costs through their monthly electric bills.
Critics argue that if Section 6 of SB 6 had been implemented, projects of this scale may be materially altered, delayed, or reduced because the cost burden would shift to those driving the need for the infrastructure.
