TPPF statement on the Public Utility Commission's approval of new wind transmission lines

“While the development of renewable energy resources is generally a good thing, we can’t hide from its high costs. Building the transmission capacity to carry energy from West Texas and the Panhandle to East Texas will be tremendously expensive.

“The costs of building those new transmission lines should be borne by the companies who develop the wind and solar farms, as well as the consumers who purchase that energy. They should not be socialized across every ratepayer on the ERCOT grid.

“Because the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow all the time, additional renewable energy must be backed up with even more natural gas power plants. Texas’ overreliance on natural gas for electricity has driven up the demand and price of natural gas, and is a main factor in why Texas’ electricity rates have surged this year.”

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The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas. The Foundation’s research on electricity and renewable energy is available on the Foundation’s website, www.TexasPolicy.com.

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