Texas Landowner Attorney

By Erick Holguin, Perez Law Firm, PLLC · Updated November 2, 2026 · Texas Eminent Domain Blog

Dinosaur–Longshore 765-kV line: key facts

Utility	Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC
PUC docket	Docket No. 59315
Voltage	765 kV, single circuit
Approved route	Route 559
Final order	August 28, 2026
Length	About 242.6 miles
Endpoints	Dinosaur Switch (about 3 miles north of Glen Rose, Somervell County) to Longshore Switch (about 4.5 miles west of Forsan, Howard County)
Counties on Route 559	Brown, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Comanche, Erath, Glasscock, Hood, Howard, Runnels, Somervell, Sterling and Taylor
Estimated cost	About $2.24 billion, including station work
Part of	Permian Basin Reliability Plan, Import Path 1 (eastern leg)

Has the Dinosaur–Longshore line been approved?

Yes. Oncor filed its application on February 19, 2026. Hundreds of landowners filed protests and requests to intervene. The PUC approved the project on August 28, 2026, and selected Route 559 rather than Oncor’s originally preferred route. The same day, the PUC approved the western leg of the same import path, the Longshore–Drill Hole 765-kV line on Route 476.

Approval of the route is not the end of the process for landowners. It is the start of the acquisition phase. Oncor now has to obtain an easement across each tract on Route 559, either by agreement or through a condemnation lawsuit.

Is my property on Route 559?

Start with the PUC’s final order and Oncor’s project map for the Dinosaur–Longshore project. If you received a letter from Oncor, a right-of-way agent or a law firm about this project, your tract is likely on or near the approved route. We can check your property against the approved route links at no cost.

What happens next for landowners on Route 559?

1. Survey requests. Oncor will ask for permission to enter your land to survey. You can negotiate the terms of entry, including notice, gates, livestock and repair of damage.
2. Initial offer. Oncor must make a written initial offer and provide the Texas Landowner’s Bill of Rights.
3. Final offer. Under Texas Property Code Chapter 21, the final offer comes at least 30 days after the initial offer, must include any appraisal reports Oncor used to set it, and gives you at least 14 days to respond.
4. Condemnation, if there is no agreement. Oncor can file suit in the county where the land is located. Three local landowners appointed as special commissioners hear evidence and set an award. Either side can object and take the case to court.

What can you negotiate in a 765-kV easement?

A 765-kV line is the highest-voltage transmission line built in Texas. It uses tall steel lattice towers and a wide right-of-way. The easement document controls what Oncor can do on your land for as long as the line exists. Terms worth negotiating include:

• The exact width and location of the easement, and where towers are placed
• Whether the easement allows additional lines, other utilities or communication facilities later
• Access routes, gates, cattle guards and fencing during construction and maintenance
• Restrictions on what you can build, plant or drill within the easement
• Payment for crop, timber and construction damage, and restoration of the surface
• Abandonment terms, and whether the easement ends if the line is removed

Texas law requires private condemnors like electric utilities to include certain landowner protections in the easements they offer. A first-draft easement often still favors the utility. Our guide to pipeline and power line easements explains these terms in more detail.

How is compensation for a transmission line easement calculated?

Texas law requires “adequate compensation.” In an easement case, that usually has two parts. The first is the value of the easement strip itself. The second is the drop in market value of the land you keep, known as damages to the remainder. Large towers and wide clear zones can affect views, future subdivision, development potential, hunting and farm operations. Those impacts are often where a utility’s first appraisal and the landowner’s evidence differ most.

Frequently asked questions

Can Oncor take my land for the Dinosaur–Longshore line?

Oncor has eminent domain authority as an electric utility, and the PUC has approved Route 559. That means Oncor can acquire an easement by agreement or through condemnation. It still must follow Chapter 21 of the Texas Property Code and pay adequate compensation.

Should I sign Oncor’s first easement offer?

Not before you understand both the price and the easement terms. Once an easement is signed and recorded, it is very difficult to change.

Do I have to let Oncor survey my land?

You can negotiate the terms of a survey entry. Get advice before signing a right-of-entry agreement, because these documents sometimes include releases or broad access rights.

How much does it cost to talk to a lawyer?

Our offer review is free. Many landowner cases are handled on a contingency based on the increase over the utility’s offer.

Related: Texas 765-kV transmission lines · The Texas condemnation process

Sources

• PUC Interchange, Docket No. 59315
• Oncor, Dinosaur–Longshore 765 kV project page
• Texas Property Code, Chapter 21

This article is general information, not legal advice for your situation, and is current as of the date above. Perez Law Firm, PLLC is not affiliated with Oncor or the PUC. Attorney advertising. Responsible attorney: Erick Holguin, Perez Law Firm, PLLC, McAllen, Texas.