How close to a power line does land need to be for solar?
Short answer: as close as possible. Developers look first for land near high-voltage lines and substations, because every mile of new line adds cost and easements.
Why distance matters
Solar developers are interested in properties with easy access to high-voltage power lines near substations; that connection is a large part of a project's cost (Penn State Extension). For battery storage, one leasing site says a project must be within about half a mile of a substation (SolarLandLease).
Near a line is not the same as room on the line
Being close to a line does not mean it can take a new project. Only interconnection studies by the utility or grid operator answer that, and in most of Texas that process runs through ERCOT (ERCOT).
Measure it for free
Click your land on Quicksand Check to see the nearest mapped transmission line, its voltage when listed, and the distance. The standout test looks for a line within half a mile. The federal line map it uses was last updated in 2022, so very new lines may be missing (data.gov).
Check a spot
Click your land on the map to get its free land report: flood zone, wetlands, nearest power line, soils, survey location, and the half-mile, 500-acre standout test. In Texas, parcel acreage fills in automatically.
Related questions
General information from the sources linked above, not legal, tax, or financial advice.