r/TexasBusiness

Powerful Texas Republicans are asking state regulators to pause a $33 billion transmission build-out — a move that could slow efforts to bring a slew of data centers online.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Charles Schwertner called Friday for the Public Utility Commission of Texas to reject pending applications to build extra-high voltage power lines across the state.

Both officials pointed to a 15-hour Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday, where hundreds of landowners from across the state pleaded for relief from data center developments. The meeting was the latest warning sign for Republicans, who face mounting pressure to balance pro-business policies with rural land use concerns.

https://www.eenews.net/articles/texas-regulators-urged-to-halt-33b-transmission-plan/

Texas electric co-ops have been around since the 1930s and started with loans provided from the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 that started the project up. These co-ops are still functioning here in TX and operate in 241 of the 254 TX counties. These co-ops own and maintain 340,000 miles of electric wire in the state compared to Centerpoint's 60,000 miles. It is easy to see that the TX co-ops know what needs to be done to keep electricity flowing to homes all through out all 268,000+ sq miles of Texas.

Time to break up privately owned utility business model and bring the 7 cooperative principles to all areas of Texas. These co-ops are a proven business model and these 7 cooperative principles should be available to all Texans here in 2026. In 1935 when the first electric wires were being strung for the folks that lived in rural areas, the power companies in Houston, San Antonio and Austin all proclaimed that communism will be spread down the electric lines along with the electricity. Profiteers have been around way before that Judas guy ever appeared on the scene.

Voluntary and Open Membership

Democratic Member Control

Members' Economic Participation

Autonomy and Independence

Education, Training and Information

Cooperation Among Cooperatives

Concern for Community

https://texas-ec.org/about/history/