American Energy Works

09/01/2026

Texans asked them to stop.

The Senate asked them to stop. The House asked them to stop. The Lieutenant Governor asked them to stop. The Attorney General asked them to stop.

And administrative law judges found one major 765-kV pathway had not even been proven necessary.

For months, hundreds of Texas landowners and ratepayers, including multigenerational farmers and ranchers, traveled to Austin repeatedly to testify before the Senate, House and Public Utility Commission (PUC).

Lawmakers listened.

State Sen. Kevin Sparks and Rep. Brad Buckley asked the PUC to delay final decisions until after the 90th Legislature could review the massive cost and impact on thousands of Texas landowners. They also asked ERCOT to reconsider the need in light of the tremendous amount of new natural-gas generation being proposed in Texas.

And 43 Texas legislators, including 34 House members and 9 senators, formally filed an amicus brief supporting American Stewards of Liberty’s request to defer the determination of need for the 765-kV buildout.

Senate Business & Commerce Chairman Dr. Charles Schwertner called on the PUC to DENY the pending 765-kV applications. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick agreed, saying the current process is “broken and must be reformed.”

Attorney General Ken Paxton filed his own amicus curiae brief supporting a pause until the Legislature can review the costs, private-property impacts and appropriate guardrails.

One point from his brief deserves attention:

“No version of HB 5066 makes any mention of 765-kV lines.”

And now there is another major development.

SOAH administrative law judges recommended DENIAL of the Bell County East-to-Big Hill project after finding the utilities failed to prove Import Path 2 is necessary. They also found problems with notice and participation for affected landowners.

American Stewards of Liberty’s (ASL) Margaret Byfield said it best:

“Private property should never be condemned for a project that has not been proven necessary.”

Yet the PUC approved two other 765-kV cases on August 28, and final orders have now been issued.

ASL says it will seek rehearing and prepare for the next stage in court.

Hundreds of Texans showed up. Bipartisan lawmakers spoke up. The Attorney General stepped in. Administrative law judges found a major pathway had not been proven necessary.

So why are we rushing forward?

Before billions are spent and private property is permanently burdened, Texans deserve proof of need, due process and legislative accountability.

READ MORE:

43 Texas Legislators Amicus Brief:https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/documents/?controlNumber=59029&itemNumber=465

AG Paxton:https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-supports-pause-765-kv-transmission-line-buildout-pending-legislative

American Stewards of Liberty:https://americanstewards.us/judges-recommend-denial-of-key-texas-765-kv-transmission-line/

Buckley/Sparks filinghttps://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59336_2598_1667371.PDF

08/25/2026

Jake and Christy Hershey are not standing alone.

Texans from across the proposed routes have boarded buses, gathered as early as 3:30 a.m., and traveled to Austin to make their voices heard.

Nearly 150 people testified during a marathon Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing that continued past midnight. At the House State Affairs hearing, organizers report that 82 people were still waiting and hoping to make the case for protecting their land when the panel closed the hearing at 8 p.m. without calling them to testify.

Imagine making that journey, waiting all day, and never getting the opportunity to tell lawmakers what this project could take from your family: your land, livelihood, water, and future.

Then, on August 21, landowners filled a special Public Utility Commission (PUC) meeting and pleaded once again for help. PUC commissioners heard arguments concerning two proposed 765 kV applications, but the CCNs remain pending. The fight is not over.

Administrative law judges have recommended denial of major portions of the project. Members of both the Texas House and Senate have written to the PUC. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Business and Commerce Chairman Charles Schwertner have called on the commission to deny the current applications and allow the Legislature to reform the process when it reconvenes in January 2027.

The voices rising across Texas are delivering the same message:

STOP.

Deny the CCNs. Give the people’s elected representatives time to act. Protect Texas landowners, water, ranches, communities, and private-property rights.

Then pursue the wiser energy policy: Build reliable, dispatchable generation near the Permian Basin, where the demand, and abundant natural gas, already exist.

Watch Jake and Christy Hershey’s OBBM Network TV interview:

https://www.obbmnetwork.tv/media/aew27-under-the-wire-the-hershey-ranch-vs-texas-s-100b-765kv-extension-cord-american-energ-689728

Please watch. Please share. Please contact the PUC, Governor Abbott, and your Texas legislators.

On the frontline of Texas's largest transmission buildout, ranchers Christy and Jake Hershey expose the real costs behind the proposed 765kV lines th…

08/17/2026

The Terrell family has cared for this land since the World War II era. Today, more than eight decades of family history, hard work, and stewardship are at risk.

Frank Terrell’s connection to ranching began early. He was only 10 years old when he got his first tractor. Over the decades, that childhood beginning grew into Great Southern Ranch, an independent family cattle operation built through hard work, sacrifice, and responsible stewardship.

Now, a proposed 765 kV transmission line could cut directly through the middle of their working ranch, disrupting the cattle operation and threatening the family’s livelihood and legacy.

In this American Energy Works interview, Frank and Cathy Terrell and their daughters, Bonnie Terrell and Paige Castleberry, share what this project could mean for their family, their ranch, and the future they have worked so hard to preserve.

Their story raises important questions for Texas:

Have we clearly demonstrated the need?

Have we fully evaluated less destructive alternatives?

Are working ranches, food production, rural economies, and private property receiving sufficient consideration?

There is a better solution.

Building reliable, affordable thermal generation close to where electricity is needed should always be the first option Texas considers. Our state has an abundant supply of natural gas. It is plentiful, affordable, and capable of providing dependable power when Texans need it.

Generating electricity closer to demand would reduce the need for massive transmission corridors across Texas. It would also help protect private landowners from being forced to surrender precious property, decades old businesses, working farms and ranches, and the land that supports our food supply.

Texas can strengthen its electric grid without unnecessarily sacrificing the people, property, and productive land that make our state strong.

Please watch and share their story.

https://www.obbmnetwork.tv/media/aew28-great-southern-ranch-an-83-year-legacy-at-risk-stop-the-765-kv-line-american-energy--689935

For 83 years, the Great Southern Ranch has stood as a symbol of Texas’s agricultural legacy, nurturing the land and feeding families across America.…

08/13/2026

American Energy Works supports Senator Bob Hall's call for a pause and legislative review of the proposed 765-kV transmission network. Texans deserve clear answers about the need, cost, alternatives, and long-term effects of these projects before billions are committed and rural communities are permanently altered.

Our state sits atop a God-given abundance of dependable, affordable thermal energy. Texas energy policy should make responsible use of these resources while prioritizing reliability, affordability, and true energy security.

This is also about protecting property rights, family farms and ranches, and the land that supports our food supply. Preserving these Texas assets is vital to our economic strength and national security.

Bigger is not automatically better, and a project this consequential deserves a closer look before Texas moves forward.

We appreciate Senator Hall’s leadership. Now we ask Governor Abbott and the Legislature to give these concerns the serious consideration they deserve.

Add your voice today: https://speak4.app/lp/v001rnq7

Leadership means knowing when to hit pause.

Texas paused Data Center expansion to take a closer look. While technology of data centers is absolutely necessary for national security, their deployment will only be done in one of two ways: responsibly or irresponsibly. This pause will give us time to ensure that their deployment will be done responsibly.

The proposed 765-kV transmission network proposals deserve the same careful review – but – the very expensive, “old technology,” high-voltage transmission lines may not be the right solution for new power generation.

Much of today's demand for massive new transmission stems from the retirement of dispatchable coal and natural gas generation. Before Texas commits billions of dollars to new transmission corridors, we should determine whether modern, efficient dispatchable generation at, or near, existing retired plant sites could meet some of that growing demand while curbing the need for new transmission.

Texans deserve transparency, better data, and a full evaluation of alternatives before irreversible decisions are made.

Read my letter to Governor Abbott below. 👇

Link to Governor Abbott’s press release: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-comprehensive-data-center-audit

08/06/2026

Erath County Judge - Brandon J. Huckabee isn’t just a county official on this one, he’s a landowner too, and the chair of the Erath–Somervell Sub-Regional Planning Commission fighting to protect his community from a 765-kV transmission line, an unnecessary extension cord cutting through the land his neighbors have farmed and ranched for generations.

In our latest interview, Judge Huckabee walks through what went wrong: Oncor never contacted the Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, even though the district knows exactly where the water wells are. Hundreds of landowners tried to file as intervenors, many multi-generational families, many older residents unfamiliar with the required online systems, and more than 600 were thrown out on technicalities: forms filed late, or incomplete because filing correctly without a lawyer is nearly impossible, and lawyers who handle this are scarce and expensive.

Judge Huckabee and his team opened their own conference room to help residents file testimony and navigate the complicated process. What should have been a several month long process was crammed into days.

It’s worth saying plainly: the countless hours he’s put into this fight, on top of volunteering his own office so neighbors had somewhere to turn, is the kind of leadership Erath County is lucky to have. Watch the full interview to hear Erath County Judge - Brandon J. Huckabee message directly to Oncor, the PUC, and state lawmakers:

Families in Erath and Somerville counties are confronting a monumental challenge: the proposal for 765 kV transmission lines that threaten their mult…

08/04/2026

We are so encouraged to see this issue continuing to gain national attention.

Just a few weeks ago, covered this report with American Energy Institute and Consumers' Research. Now The National News Desk has picked up the story and interviewed our State Director, Molly Vogt about it. We are grateful to everyone helping shine a light on what's happening. Let's keep the conversation going.

Can we ask you a question?

How much have you invested in your home?

For most of us, it's our largest financial asset and our best opportunity to build generational wealth.

Now imagine discovering that an unregulated, private company is assigning a climate risk score to your property using its own proprietary, future-looking models. Those scores can differ from FEMA's official flood maps, yet they're being displayed on major real estate websites for potential buyers to see.

Would that concern you?

Would you want to know:• Who created the score?• How it was calculated?• Why it differs from government data?• Whether it could influence how buyers view your home?• And if you believed it was wrong, would you expect a fair process to challenge or remove it?

We know we would.

Congress should investigate how these private climate risk scores are developed, displayed, and used in America's housing market. Every homeowner deserves to know who is influencing the perceived value of their largest investment and what protections exist if the information is inaccurate or misleading.

Please watch the interview, read the report, and let us know what you think. https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/climate-risk-scores-on-home-listings-draw-scrutiny-from-conservative-groups-fema-property-cosumers

Should private companies have this much influence over America's housing market without greater transparency and accountability?

Millions of Americans begin their home search online, where listings now commonly include information.

07/31/2026

IN THE NEWS: American Energy Works Texas State Director Molly Vogt spoke with KLTV about the growing opposition to Texas’ proposed 765-kV transmission plan.

Hundreds of Texans packed the State Capitol this week to warn lawmakers about the consequences of these projects. Their concerns extend far beyond the proposed routes.

Why this matters:

• Affordability: The plan carries an estimated $33 billion in capital costs and nearly $100 billion in lifetime costs that will be passed along to Texas electric customers.

• Reliability: Transmission lines move existing electricity. They do not create the new, reliable generation our rapidly growing state needs.

• Property rights: The routes threaten homes, family land, and tens of thousands of acres of productive agricultural property.

• Food security: Dividing independent farms and ranches puts multigenerational businesses and our domestic food supply at risk.

Texas does not have to choose between economic growth and protecting its citizens. We can meet rising demand by building reliable generation close to where the electricity is needed, especially in the energy-rich Permian Basin.

We appreciate KLTV and reporter April Pierdant for covering this important issue and giving affected Texans a platform to be heard.

Read the article and watch Molly’s interview:

East Texas residents and advocates are opposing a proposed 765 kV transmission line expansion that could cross Smith and Van Zandt counties, threatening more than 7,000 acres of private property and costing ratepayers up to $100 billion over the life of the project.

07/20/2026

America’s electric grid is being challenged on two fronts.

The first involves immediate, operational threats: EMPs, cyberattacks, foreign-made components embedded in critical infrastructure and other vulnerabilities that could disrupt the grid without warning.

The second is a long-term strategic campaign that gradually weakens the grid through government policy, distorted economic incentives, education and indoctrination, lawfare, misinformation and the systematic discouragement of reliable energy production.

That is why Secure the Grid - Texas and American Energy Works are working together.

In this OBBM Network TV interview, our State Director, Molly Vogt, speaks with Nancy White, co-founder of Secure the Grid Texas, about the distinct but complementary roles our organizations play.

Secure the Grid Texas specializes in identifying and protecting against immediate, operational threats to the electric grid.

At American Energy Works, we focus on exposing and stopping the long-term strategic forces that push our own government policies and institutions to work against safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

These threats may operate differently, but they lead toward the same dangerous outcome: a weaker electric grid, a more vulnerable economy and diminished national security.

No single organization can watch every threat at once. By working together, we can defend the grid against immediate attacks while confronting the strategic campaign weakening it over time. Won't you join us?

Watch and share our conversation: https://www.obbmnetwork.tv/media/aew24-texas-power-play-ratepayers-vs-the-lobbyists-american-energy-works-687733

07/16/2026

Our new report with Consumers' Research exposes how First Street's unregulated "climate risk scores" are showing up on Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com, often contradicting official FEMA flood maps and tanking home values with zero transparency or appeals process.

One case study found a hit to a property that FEMA rated minimal risk. Worth noting: BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street hold 19-25% stakes in the companies distributing these scores.

Congress needs to investigate before more families watch their biggest asset quietly eroded. The Center Square covered our findings: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_14ceed74-ca71-428d-a392-b35824c1cfb0.html

(The Center Square) – “Climate risk scores” featured on homebuying platforms such as Zillow and Realtor devalue houses without authority, the matter being further complicated by asset managers with climate

07/13/2026

She Didn’t Ask to Become an Intervenor. She Just Wanted to Build a School.

American Energy Works State Director, Molly Vogt, recently sat down with Vanessa Halford, founder of White Horse Christian Academy Stephenville, to discuss how the proposed 765-kV transmission lines could affect her school, her family’s ranch, and the community she has faithfully served for more than a decade.

After retiring from public education following 31 years in the classroom, Vanessa wasn’t looking to start over.

She simply wanted to serve her community.

In 2015, she founded White Horse Christian Academy with just 13 students. Today, that school has grown to 189 students, 35 teachers, and a beautiful new campus built through years of sacrifice, faith, and the support of families who believed in her vision.

Now, that dream is in jeopardy.

A proposed 765-kV transmission line, among the highest-voltage transmission lines in the world, is planned to run just 270 feet from the school’s playground, crossing the Halford family’s ranch and the land set aside for future classrooms, athletic fields, and agricultural education.

Instead of enjoying retirement, Vanessa found herself testifying under oath before the Public Utility Commission of Texas, fighting to protect her school, her students, her family’s livelihood, and the future of the community she loves.

Sadly, her story is not unique.

Across Texas, families, ranchers, farmers, schools, churches, and small businesses are asking whether these massive transmission projects are truly the best solution for meeting our state’s future energy needs.

At American Energy Works, we believe Texans deserve an honest conversation about all available options.

Many Texans believe there is a better, more responsible path: building affordable, reliable, dispatchable generation closer to where electricity is needed, reducing the need for massive long-distance transmission corridors that take private property, divide communities, and increase costs for Texas ratepayers.

We encourage you to watch Vanessa’s story and decide for yourself.

If you believe Texans deserve a full evaluation of alternatives before these projects move forward, please share this video with your friends, your State Representative, your State Senator, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Governor Greg Abbott.

👉 You can also sign our Call to Action here and send a message directly to state leaders:
https://www.americanenergyworks.com/take-action-grid

Every route on a map represents more than transmission infrastructure.

It represents a family.

A school.

A business.

A community.

At American Energy Works, we will continue sharing the stories of the Texans who deserve to be heard.

🎥 Watch the interview:
https://www.obbmnetwork.tv/media/aew22-the-school-in-the-path-of-a-765-kv-line-american-energy-works-687373

In Erath County, Texas, retired educator Vanessa Halford turned her vision of a private Christian school into reality, only to face an unexpected thr…