The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved the 370-mile Howard–Solstice transmission line, subject to further route modifications. The 765-kilovolt line will connect AEP Texas’ Solstice Substation near Fort Stockton with CPS Energy’s Howard Substation southwest of San Antonio. The proposed route crosses 14 counties, including Uvalde, Kerr, Bexar, and Medina counties.
The project forms part of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, which the commission approved in April 2024. The plan calls for three 765-kV transmission lines along new electricity import corridors. These lines will rank among the first 765-kV projects within ERCOT.
ERCOT developed the broader transmission plan to address rising electricity demand in the Permian Basin. The region’s oil, gas, manufacturing, and other industrial operations have increased pressure on the existing power network. The Howard–Solstice line will expand the system’s capacity to move electricity into West Texas and support future demand growth.
AEP Texas and CPS Energy held public meetings along the proposed corridor during summer 2025. They filed their Certificate of Convenience and Necessity application in early 2026 and amended it on March 2, 2026. The PUCT reviewed the application and selected the project route through its approval process.
The Howard–Solstice project represents one of five major transmission proposals that ERCOT submitted for regulatory consideration. The commission approved two North Texas lines in August 2026.