Cooks Point to Steele Store Transmission Project

LCRA Transmission Services Corporation (LCRA TSC) and Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) are jointly proposing to build and operate a new 138-kilovolt single-circuit transmission line in portions of Brazos and Burleson counties.

The new line will connect LCRA TSC’s existing Cooks Point Substation northeast of the City of Caldwell in Burleson County to BTU’s existing Steele Store Substation west of the City of Bryan in Brazos County. If approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the new transmission line will be about 6.5 miles long, depending on the route ultimately selected by the PUC.

As part of the process, LCRA TSC and BTU will seek input from state and local elected officials and various agencies to identify routing constraints to help determine potential locations for the new transmission line and assess the project’s potential impacts. LCRA TSC and BTU will hold an open house for the public to learn more about the project and provide their feedback.

The proposed transmission line will provide several benefits to the electric system in the area, including:

  • Improving reliability under maintenance or forced outage scenarios to communities in Burleson, Brazos, Lee and Washington counties.
  • Providing an additional source of power to these areas, reducing the chances for loss of power during planned or forced outages.
  • Helping to support load growth in the surrounding counties, including in the area of Bryan-College Station and the Texas A&M University System RELLIS campus.
  • Providing an alternative transmission path, improving electric power reliability.

Latest Update – May 2026

LCRA TSC and BTU hosted an open house on May 14 to share information with the public and answer questions about the project.

We invite interested parties to fill out the project questionnaire and submit feedback by June 4, 2026.

Map

Cooks Point to Steele Store Project Study Area Map [PDF]

Project Timeline

2026
Winter/Spring LCRA TSC/BTU identify preliminary alternative route segments
May Public open house:

May 14, 2026
Caldwell Civic Center
103 W TX-HWY 21
Caldwell, Texas 77836
Fall Filing of joint application with PUC to amend CCNs
2027
Spring/Summer Anticipated PUC approval and Final Order
2027-2028
  Final design and engineering
  Easement acquisition
2029
Winter/Spring Construction
Summer Project In Service

Resources

Frequently asked questions [PDF]
Certification process for new transmission lines [PDF]
Interactive mapping tool: Zoom in and out on aerial imagery that depicts preliminary alternate transmission line route segments and property line information obtained from the county appraisal district.
Note: High-speed internet is recommended.

Texas Landowner’s Bill of Rights (English) (Spanish)
Exhibits from the May 14, 2026 Open House Public Meeting:

Contacts

Susana Thorne, LCRA Senior Regulatory Case Manager
Kelly Wells, LCRA Lead Regulatory Case Manager
[email protected]
Project Phone Number: (512) 578-1448