HOUSTON – A proposed power line project across Lake Livingston has drawn strong opposition from the City of Houston and residents living along the shoreline.
The project, submitted by Entergy Texas, includes multiple possible routes for a 500-kV transmission line—two of which would cross directly through Lake Livingston and over residential communities.
City of Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi said his department was never notified about the potential lake crossing—even though Lake Livingston supplies 70% of the city’s drinking water.
“It was a surprise,” Macchi said in an interview with KPRC 2. “Houston provides water to over five and a half million people across the region. Two of our major water treatment plants rely exclusively on water from Lake Livingston.”
Macchi said his department only learned about the proposed route after being contacted by concerned residents in Trinity County.
“There’s a regulatory process, and Entergy notified a lot of entities,” Macchi said. “The City of Houston was not one of them. And that’s troubling—because this isn’t just a lake; it’s our most critical water source.”
Houston has since submitted a letter to the Public Utility Commission of Texas supporting the Trinity River Authority’s formal opposition to any route that crosses Lake Livingston. In a May 1 letter, Macchi wrote that Houston Public Works “strongly opposes” Routes 1, 10, 25, 27, and 33, which would cross the lake.
Residents like Mike Peppercorn and Randy Lammers have also voiced concern over the health, safety, and environmental risks of building transmission towers in the lakebed.
“This lake traps PCBs and dioxins in its sediment,” Lammers said. “Disturbing the lakebed is like ripping up asbestos tile. You’ll release dangerous contaminants directly into Houston’s drinking water supply.”
Peppercorn added, “The power lines wouldn’t even benefit this area. The risk is all ours—and it’s not worth it.”
Houston officials say any construction that disrupts the lakebed could introduce toxins into the water and create hazardous conditions.
“If something happens to that water supply,” Macchi said, “this isn’t a boil-water notice situation. This is a no-water situation—for the medical center, schools, petrochemical plants. It becomes a national problem, not just a Houston problem.”
In response, Entergy Texas sent KPRC 2 the following statement:
“Entergy Texas followed all regulatory requirements under the Public Utility Commission of Texas when filing for the SETEX Area Reliability Project, including providing required notices to affected parties as defined by the PUCT. We are committed to transparency and continue to fully participate in the regulatory review process, which includes opportunities for public input and review of all routes under consideration. We are also committed to complying with all federal and state environmental regulations, including any permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act.
“While route evaluation is ongoing and no final decision has been made, each proposed route – including lake and land crossings – is being thoroughly assessed based on a number of factors, including environmental impact, community input, engineering feasibility and long-term reliability for our customers.
“The proposed routes of the new single-circuit 500-kV transmission line will span approximately 131 to 160 miles in length across Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler and Walker counties. View each route proposal on our interactive map. For more detail on this project and additional information to your questions, please refer to the PUCT docket, including the reply briefing and initial briefing.
“We appreciate the opportunity to provide context about this critical transmission project, which will strengthen the grid for homes and businesses across Southeast Texas and support the region’s continued growth.”
The Public Utility Commission is expected to make a decision on the final route in August.
