Relating to a study of the costs and benefits of burying distribution power lines in certain metropolitan areas.

SB 270 requires the Texas Public Utility Commission to study the costs and benefits of burying overhead power lines underground in four major metropolitan areas: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The study will examine potential costs (including impacts on utility rates), maintenance expenses, outage-related savings, and environmental and safety effects for electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, and municipal utilities in those regions. The commission must submit a final report with findings and recommendations to state leaders by December 31, 2026. This bill does not change current laws or require any immediate action; it solely mandates a cost-benefit analysis to inform future decisions. The study expires January 31, 2027, with a required implementation date of September 1, 2025.