Texas CREZ lines (2008–2013)
Texas regulators approved roughly $7 billion of new high-voltage lines stretching about 3,600 miles to reach remote West Texas wind farms. The state built the transmission first, and wind generation followed.
Within a few years, West Texas wind capacity surged and the state became the US wind leader.
The CREZ lines became the model for building transmission ahead of generation so renewables are not left stranded.
India is running the same build-lines-first playbook. The Satara line sits ahead of the pumped-storage and renewable projects it will carry.
