Welcome to The Texas Tribune’s “Texplainer” series, where we answer questions from readers like you. More in this series

Hey, Texplainer: How do state officials make sure the electricity stays on during the many long, hot days of the Texas summer?

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates Texas’ unique power grid, gave the Tribune a behind-the-scenes look at its control center in Taylor to help explain how energy is provided to millions of Texans every day.

Bottom line: Managing the grid is all about long- and short-term predictions — about the state’s growth, its weather, market conditions and exactly when you might turn on your air conditioner.

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Justin Dehn was a multimedia producer, focusing on video and audio production, from 2010 to 2023. He’s been shooting and producing news for more than two decades. Justin has been behind the camera for...

Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service...