On September 26, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) voted unanimously to approve a transmission plan for the Permian Basin region.

According to a press release attributed to PUC, the plan intends to meet the future electricity needs of one of the most oil-rich areas of the U.S. by making necessary transmission infrastructure investments. These investments aim to bolster ongoing expansion and electrification of Texas’ oil and gas industry in West Texas.

PUC Commissioner Lori Cobos thanked Gov. Greg Abbott, state lawmakers, PUC and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) staff, and all stakeholders for making what she described as "a monumental and historic transmission infrastructure buildout in the state" possible. "The Permian Basin is the heartbeat of our state and nation’s energy dominance and economy," Cobos said in the release.

The plan’s roots come from House Bill (HB) 5066, a 2023 law that requires PUC to direct ERCOT to develop an electric reliability plan for the Permian Basin region. According to the release, ERCOT predicts electricity demand in the Permian Basin will increase by about 26 gigawatts over at least the next 15 years.