The bill amends Section 37.052(c) of the Utilities Code regarding the requirements for electric utilities to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity for constructing electric transmission lines. The key change is that the maximum length of a transmission line that can be constructed without amending the certificate has been increased from three miles to five miles when connecting to a load-serving substation or metering point. Additionally, the maximum length for lines connecting to a generation substation or metering point remains at two miles.

The bill stipulates that in order to bypass the amendment requirement, the utility must ensure that all affected landowners provide written consent and that all necessary rights-of-way for construction have been acquired. This legislation is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Utilities Code 37.052 (Utilities Code 37)