Energy regulators and industry experts warn that the state’s delays to major projects amid backlash from residents could create rolling blackouts and strangle growth of other industries that need power.
Paul Cobler
Paul Cobler is the Tribune's economy and industry reporter, covering the socioeconomic and political forces that impact Texans’ pocketbooks and upward mobility. Before joining the Tribune, he was a politics reporter for the Houston Landing and covered Baton Rouge City Hall for The Advocate in Louisiana. Paul grew up in Victoria, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. His reporting has appeared in news publications across the state, including the Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman and the Houston Chronicle. He is based in Austin.
Posted in
Energy
Residents and industry leaders at odds over transmission lines at legislative hearing
The growing backlash surrounding 765 kv lines, as well as data centers, was tackled at a nine-hour House hearing that included testimony and recommendations but no definitive answers.
Posted in
Energy
Texas will audit up to 300 projects, mostly data centers, after Gov. Greg Abbott’s order
The state’s power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbott’s directive reworks the timeline and adds new requirements.
Posted in
Economy
Data center audit lacks specifics even as Gov. Abbott, industry leaders tout it
Without key details on the audits but the eagerness to support them, policy watchers question how impactful these audits will be in curbing data center growth.
Posted in
Energy
Data center approvals in Texas halted until audits completed, Gov. Greg Abbott says
On Monday, the governor ordered the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to audit all data centers wanting to connect to the state’s power grid.
Posted in
Energy
Texas lawmakers want to halt plan to build high-voltage transmission lines across the state
Amid a backlash, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and a chorus of state senators said the the state’s plan for building new high-voltage transmission lines needs to be changed as the oil and gas industry faces an electricity shortage.
Posted in
Energy
ERCOT: Texas’ power grid meeting record demand now, but could falter when it doubles by 2032
Solar and battery power generations have helped bolster ERCOT’s grid, but data center, population and economic growth is slated to surge demand.
Posted in
Data Centers in Texas
Texas’ multibillion-dollar sales tax exemption for data centers is growing, while audits lag
Out of 138 data centers that qualified for the tax break, only 20 have been audited so far. Six facilities were found to be out of compliance.
Posted in
Economy
Texas’ bite of the microchip industry is growing thanks to public grants, incentives
For years, the state has been the leading exporter of semiconductor chips. After the Legislature invested more than $1.5 billion into incentives since 2023, the industry has been booming.
Posted in
State Government
U.S. Supreme Court declines request to block Texas’ app age verification law
A federal appeals court had allowed Texas to require app stores to verify users’ ages and seek parental consent before a minor can download apps while litigation continues.
