By Tim Fleischer
Editor-in-Chief
Saladoans opposed to the proposed Bell County East Switch – Big Hill Substation 765 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line Project (BCBH) will gather 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. April 22 at the Salado Administration Building.
Property owners who could be affected by the proposed routes can file as intervenors in the Public Utility Commission Docket 59475
A link to an interactive map showing the primary routes can be found at the LCRA page entitled “Bell County East to Big Hill Primary Route Segments Map,” located at https://bit.ly/4sJfDMz.
The preferred route from East Bell county is Route 894, with the following segments: A0-A1-A2-B1-B21-C4-D12-C5-E52-F1-F31-F32-F20-F23-G72-G73-G82-G13-G51-G52-H1-H41-H42-J21-J22-J23-J27-J4-K11-K7-J16-K13-K51-K52-M11-M12-N3-P2-R1-T1-T2-Z2.
The preferred route runs immediately south of the Temple station east of Hwy. 95 before heading west north of Holland Cemetery. It then turns south just east of Romberg Rd. where it crosses FM 2268 and proceeds west through rural properties, crossing FM 2115 near Bean Rd. and crossing I-35 before meandering northwest to cross into Burnet Co.
However, the map shows that there are two proposed alternative routes crossing through Salado with alternate connections on each of these.
The northernmost route E11 crosses I-35 between Dillard Rd. and Amity School Road and then runs parallel north of West Amity Rd.
There are two connections to E11:
• Alternate E12 will cut south and cross through subdivisions such as West Creek and Eagle Heights.
• E6 would connect with E11 and would run just west of Spring Creek subdivision going south.
C5 is the southernmost route, running south of FM 2268 and crossing I-35 just north of Grainger Rd., before crossing FM 2843 near CR 230.
The BCBH project involves constructing a 765 kV transmission line of more than 200 miles connecting existing facilities near Temple in Bell County to near Eldorado in Schleicher County. It crosses through Bell County, Burnet County, Concho County, Coryell County, Lampasas County, Llano County and San Saba County.
Property owners who could be affected by the construction of the transmission line have until April 27 to file as intervenors.
Intervenors are those property owners who show that the proposed transmission line could directly affect their property or legal interests. If the proposed route crosses your land or if your home is within 500 feet of a proposed route centerline, you may file as an intervenor.
Intervenors can submit evidence and testimony in the PUC Docket 59475 by following this link: https://bit.ly/4eGAT22.
The BCBH project will require 200 feet of right-of-way, whichever route is taken. Transmission towers of up to 198 feet in height will be spaced about every 300 yards (five towers per mile). The arms of the lattice steel towers stretch about 160 feet of the 200 foot ROW.
The contested case must be decided within 180 days of the March 26, 2026 PUC filing.
As of presstime, there are more than 500 filings of comments, protests, requests to intervene and responses on PUC Docket 59475.
The BCBH project, estimated at $2 billion and to be in place by 2030, is the first phase of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan.
Phase two, the Eastern Backbone Project, will run north-south from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to south of San Antonio. It will have 765kV lines running through Bell County and Salado that will connect to the BCBH project.