Latest Contributions

• Shell’s decision to leave Permian Basin unlikely to impact Texas workforce or climate issues, experts say

  by Mitchell Ferman Sept. 22, 2021

  More than 175,000 barrels of oil per day in production will shift from one major company to another. Full Story 

• Shell sells off its oil and gas business in Texas’ Permian Basin, seeking to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels

  by Mitchell Ferman Sept. 20, 2021

  Texas-based ConocoPhillips bought Shell’s Permian Basin assets for $9.5 billion, its second major purchase in the oil-rich area over the last year. Full Story 

• A Houston day care convinced all its workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Now it requires a shot.

  by Mitchell Ferman Sept. 9, 2021

  While some national companies are requiring employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, mandates have been the exception for businesses in Texas. Full Story 

• Energy industry showers Gov. Greg Abbott, other Texas politicians with campaign cash after they passed power grid bills

  by Mitchell Ferman and Carla Astudillo Aug. 4, 2021

  For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Full Story 

• Texans not expected to lose power through the rest of the summer, regulators say

  by Mitchell Ferman July 22, 2021

  The state’s electricity regulators said they’re taking steps to assure a skeptical public that the power won’t go out again if Texas experiences extreme weather this summer. Full Story 

• Officials in charge of Texas' power grid try to reassure lawmakers and the public that they're fixing lingering problems

  by Mitchell Ferman July 13, 2021

  Lawmakers cannot pass laws to improve Texas’ power grid during the special legislative session. They’re discussing it anyway. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott tells electricity regulators to encourage building more power plants, penalize renewable energy

  by Mitchell Ferman July 6, 2021

  The governor did not include many specifics about how regulators should carry out his requests to improve the state's main power grid. Full Story 

• How coronavirus impacted the Texas economy

  by Anna Novak, Mandi Cai and Mitchell Ferman June 25, 2021

  The coronavirus pandemic swiftly swept Texas into an economic recession, upending several industries and prompting millions to seek unemployment aid. Here’s a look at how the state was impacted between March 2020 and May 2021. Full Story 

• Texans oppose permitless carry, but support expanding Medicaid and restricting transgender student athletes, UT/TT Poll finds

  by James Barragán, Cassandra Pollock and Mitchell Ferman June 25, 2021

  The Legislature gaveled out at the end of month after passing bills on abortion, guns, police budgets and the Texas power grid. Here's how Texas voters feel about the results. Full Story 

• ERCOT will have to release information about power plant outages quicker — but it may not detail what causes them

  by Mitchell Ferman June 24, 2021

  The Public Utility Commission said the state's main power grid operator will have three days — instead of 60 — to release some information about power plant outages. But that may not include why the electricity generators were offline. Full Story 

• Some Texas power plants unexpectedly went offline last week. The grid operator says it still doesn’t know why

  by Mitchell Ferman June 24, 2021

  Texans were asked to cut back on their electricity use for a week because of “tight” power grid conditions, according to ERCOT officials. They still haven’t said what caused the plant outages. Full Story 

• Business leaders on Texas-Mexico border say state politicians ignore community needs while calling for a wall

  by Mitchell Ferman June 18, 2021

  Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott says power grid better than ever as Texans asked to cut back electricity use

  by Mitchell Ferman June 16, 2021

  A number of power plants were inexplicably offline at the same time that Texas was experiencing record June demand for electricity. ERCOT officials are still working to determine why. Full Story 

• Is Texas headed toward another blackout? Did the Legislature fix the power grid? Here are answers to your questions about the grid.

  by Erin Douglas and Mitchell Ferman June 15, 2021

  The state’s grid operator indicated that conditions are improving and said that power outages to residents are unlikely. Full Story 

• Everyday Texans overlooked in state lawmakers' response to power outages during winter storm

  by Erin Douglas and Mitchell Ferman June 3, 2021

  While lawmakers took significant steps toward preventing another blackout, hardly any of the proposals passed during this legislative session will aid consumers in recovering from the February storm — but they’ll see higher utility bills. Full Story 

• Texas Legislature approves bills to require power plants to "weatherize," among other measures to overhaul electric grid

  by Erin Douglas and Mitchell Ferman Updated: May 30, 2021

  The Texas House and Senate both approved negotiated versions of Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3, the two sweeping bills to change the state’s power grid and the people who oversee it. Full Story 

• Texas Legislature close to approving billions to pay for winter storm financial fallout

  by Erin Douglas and Mitchell Ferman May 25, 2021

  Several billions of dollars in state-approved financing will be necessary to stabilize the state’s distressed energy market after the winter storm. Texas approves more in finance bailouts for its utilities than any other state. Full Story 

• Texas House goes further than Senate to protect state’s main power grid as time to agree on bills winds down

  by Mitchell Ferman Updated: May 23, 2021

  The Texas House for hours on Sunday debated its proposal to better prepare for extreme weather. The chambers have a little more than a week to wrap up remaining work. Full Story 

• Jobless Texans will lose all federal unemployment benefits, including extra weekly $300, after Gov. Greg Abbott opts out of the program

  by Megan Menchaca and Mitchell Ferman Updated: May 17, 2021

  The extra $300 federal benefit will end June 26 for jobless Texans. Abbott also cut off another federal benefit that extended aid to gig workers, self-employed people and others who aren’t traditionally covered by unemployment insurance. Full Story 

• Texas Legislature approves bill to ban residential wholesale electricity plans — the first major winter storm bill sent to the governor

  by Mitchell Ferman May 13, 2021

  Time is running out on a slate of other bills lawmakers are considering that stem from February's deadly winter storm. Full Story