AEP Archives - Uvalde Hesperian

VIDEO: County approves resolution opposing the proposed Howard Solstice

admin — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:52:03 +0000

by Michael Robinson| Uvalde Hesperian

10-16-25

https://www.aeptransmission.com/texas/howard-solstice/open-house/dist/docs/Howard-Solstice_VOH.pdf

Uvalde County Commissioners voted at the Tuesday, October 13th meeting to approve a resolution opposing the Howard Solstice Transmission Line project’s proposed routes though Uvalde County. The vote was taken after a presentation by Environmental Attorney Kirk Rasmussen representing AEP going over the process of selecting the final 200 feet right of way paths which could cut through state- and privately-owned property in Uvalde County and the Hill Country.

Uvalde County Commissioner John Yeackle voiced concerns that the project would negatively impact property values, tourism and the environment.

Several Citizens including Texas Hill County River Region Executive Director Kristi Gerdes and Hill County Alliance Board member Julie Lewey voiced their concerns over the environmental impact the project would cause in the Texas Hill County.

Van McElroy also spoke against the measure stating that the easement and construction of the transmission line. “It would devastate us,” he said.

Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell stated he could see no local benefit to the project.

According to information on the AEP Texas website, it reads: “

The Howard-Solstice Transmission Line Project is one of three 765-kV transmission lines to be constructed along the 765-kV import paths approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on April 24 as part of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan. The project will provide new pathways to deliver additional power to the region.

AEP Texas will build the line as part of a jointly assigned project. The construction involves building approximately 300 miles of transmission line connecting AEP Texas’ Solstice Substation near Fort Stockton to a substation near San Antonio. The extra high voltage transmission lines approved by the Commission will introduce a more efficient and more reliable delivery system that creates additional opportunities for future growth in communities throughout west Texas.

The project supports the ongoing expansion and electrification of the oil and gas industry in west Texas and the growing electricity needs of the regions’ communities.”

https://www.aeptransmission.com/texas/howard-solstice/open-house/dist/docs/Howard-Solstice_VOH.pdf

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More Power to You?: CPS Energy hosting Open House tonight on Transmission Line Project

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:09:40 +0000

Source: https://aeptransmission.com/texas/howard-solstice

06–5-25

Top image credit: AEP website

Project could saddle local property owners with utility easements and possible eminent domain situation.

Howard – Solstice Transmission Line Project

The Howard-Solstice Transmission Line Project involves building approximately 370 miles of 765-kilovolt (kV) power line between AEP Texas’ Solstice Substation near Fort Stockton and CPS Energy’s Howard Substation southwest of San Antonio.

The transmission line will introduce a more efficient and reliable delivery system, creating additional opportunities for future growth in communities throughout West Texas.

Please join us to share your feedback.

Please join us at one of the events on the dates and at the locations listed below:

Wednesday, August 6
Enchanted Event Center
4934 US-90
Del Rio, TX 78840
4 to 7 p.m.

Thursday, August 7
Fort Stockton Convention Center
2181 West I-10
Fort Stockton, TX 79735
4 to 7 p.m.

Both events offer the same information. You can view detailed maps and talk with team members about the potential route links. There will be no formal presentation, so you can arrive at any time.

CPS Energy representatives will host open houses on Monday, Aug. 4, at the Silverado Event Center, 16490 I-35 South, Atascosa, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the Uvalde County Fairplex Commissioners Auditorium, 215 Veterans Parkway, Uvalde, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Interested stakeholders are invited to attend the open house that is most convenient for them.

Feedback will be accepted at open houses, through the website feedback form, email, phone and mail through Sept. 3, 2025.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) requires AEP Texas officials to file a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) application for review and approval of the project. Following the review of the CCN application, the PUCT determines the final line route. AEP Texas representatives plan to file a CCN application for the project in early February 2026 and expect to receive a response from the PUCT in summer 2026.

Texas House Bill 5066, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023 and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, required the PUCT to direct the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to develop an electric reliability plan for the Permian Basin region, which is an important energy location for the state and national economies.

Image Credit: www.change.org petition

A link to a petition posted online has been shared by the Sabiual Canyon Coalition in its Facebook Page

The petition: Stop AEP/CPS Transmision Line Project in the Edwards Plateau Region can be found qt Change.org

According to the petition, it states the following:

“The lack of transparency and meaningful outreach by AEP/CPS suggests either gross oversight or a willful disregard for the rights of rural Texans. Many landowners remain uninformed about the full extent of the project and its long-term consequences for their property, safety, and way of life.

We are fully aware of what this kind of infrastructure brings:

Forced easements and eminent domain, stripping families of land they’ve owned for generations.
Wildlife displacement caused by construction and maintenance corridors.
Loss of property value due to unsightly transmission towers and lingering safety concerns.
Damage to local tourism, as industrial infrastructure disrupts scenic landscapes, waterways, and recreational land.
Fragmentation of large tracts of land, making it harder for ranchers, hunters, and landowners to manage or sell their properties.
Permanent alteration of rural landscapes, imposed without the knowledge or consent of those most affected.
This petition represents a unified stand — not only against a transmission line, but against a process that sidelines rural communities and disregards landowner rights.”

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Uvalde Power Outage affects over 200 customers in Uvalde.

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 03:40:17 +0000

The post Uvalde Power Outage affects over 200 customers in Uvalde. appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.

Knippa transformer fire causes power outages and traffic as school starts

admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:29:54 +0000

The post Knippa transformer fire causes power outages and traffic as school starts appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.