AUSTIN, Texas—Today, Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) President Todd Staples issued the following statement on the response from the State Office of Administrative Hearings regarding transmission infrastructure needed to bring adequate power to Texas.

On behalf of TXOGA President Todd Staples:

“The Administrative Law Judges’ recommendation to disregard the demonstrated need for additional transmission infrastructure in West Texas is a radical departure from both facts and the long-established planning processes that built Texas. The need for interconnection and transmission capacity to support America’s most productive oil and natural gas region has been documented for more than a decade through extensive studies, public workshops, stakeholder meetings, and regulatory proceedings.

“Progress and protection are not in conflict. We can move critical infrastructure forward while ensuring due process and safeguarding landowners’ rights.

“This is not a West Texas issue and not a political issue; it is a basic connectivity issue. Electricity must be produced and delivered in perfect balance, every second of every day. Transmission is what makes that balance possible. When lack of needed transmission prevents power from flowing where it is needed, the reliability of the grid is put in jeopardy.

“ERCOT’s repeated warnings of imminent regional rolling blackouts in West Texas are not just about businesses; it is about communities and homes across the region and the state. All Texans should rally to ensure no community, homeowner, or business is denied this urgent need.

“Because of this uncertainty, many are asking, ‘Is Texas still open for business?’ We should also be asking, ‘Will the Friday Night Lights stay on?’”

Founded in 1919, TXOGA is the oldest and largest oil and natural gas trade association in Texas, representing every facet of the industry.

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