El Paso Electric is studying a new high-voltage transmission line that could cut across far East El Paso, a 345-kilovolt project that might stretch roughly 10 to 19 miles and cost up to $57 million. The line would be among the highest-voltage facilities on the utility’s system and is pitched as a major reliability boost for the East Side as industrial projects and data centers line up for power. Early company materials show the line would run between the Pine and Caliente substations, with routing and environmental work kicking off this spring.
What EPE Is Proposing
According to the El Paso Times, El Paso Electric officials say the 345-kilovolt corridor is designed to ease heavy loads on the East Side grid and make room for future growth. The paper reports that David Meza, the utility’s manager of grid strategy, described 345 kV as the largest voltage used on El Paso Electric’s system and said initial routing work points to a 10 to 19-mile span with an estimated price tag of up to $57 million.
The utility has not yet filed a formal Certificate of Convenience and Necessity application, or CCN, with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and it notes that both the ultimate route and the final cost could shift as technical studies and public input continue.
Pine to Caliente Route and Schedule
On a dedicated project microsite, El Paso Electric labels the effort the Pine to Caliente 345 kV Transmission Line and shows potential corridors between a Pine Substation near La Pine Avenue and Appleton Street and a Caliente Substation located north of US 62/180. The site outlines a routing and environmental assessment process running through July, followed by a plan to file the CCN with the Public Utility Commission of Texas in July 2026.
Construction would depend on PUCT approval. Until then, the project is in the homework stage, with maps, draft routes, and environmental reviews still in flux. The project webpage also invites public comment and sets a March 13 deadline for residents to submit feedback through an online questionnaire.
Why Now: Demand and Data Center Growth
The transmission proposal arrives as El Paso Electric is already pursuing new generation and grid upgrades to keep up with rising usage, including a separate filing for a natural gas plant that would serve Meta’s planned data center campus. In January, KVIA reported that the utility is seeking approval for a $473 million McCloud gas facility that would initially be dedicated to Meta’s load, a move El Paso Electric points to as evidence that additional transmission capacity will be needed.
City leaders have already raised concerns about the large water and electricity commitments that data centers require, so this 345 kV line slides directly into a broader argument over how much growth El Paso should chase and what that growth might cost the community.
Next Steps and Public Input
El Paso Electric says it will keep refining possible routes and talking with nearby residents before it submits a formal application to the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Once a CCN is filed, the commission typically has about six months to rule on it.
Information on the El Paso Electric project site notes that landowners whose property lies within 510 feet of any proposed route will receive direct notice and that anyone with a stake in the case can choose to intervene in the regulatory process. For residents who want to weigh in early, the utility is hosting an online open house and questionnaire through March 13. After a filing is made, public hearings or a broader PUCT review would determine which route, if any, moves forward and what mitigation steps are required.
