Attorney General Ken Paxton says he plans to sue the Obama administration over the proposed “Clean Power Plan,” its sweeping plan to combat climate change by slashing carbon emissions from power plants.
Texas Public Utility Commission
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Energy
Watchdogs Question Fraser’s Energy Holdings
As the Texas Legislature ponders ethics reforms to increase transparency and reduce conflicts of interests among its members, a key state lawmaker is facing new questions about whether his private business affairs are impacting his public duties.
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Energy
Bill Would Ban Fees for Conserving Electricity
One state lawmaker has an idea to encourage Texans to conserve energy: Stop charging them for doing so. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s legislation would bar companies from charging customers for using too little energy – a common practice.
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Energy
Former Railroad Commissioner Lands Job at Law Firm
Barry Smitherman, the only person to serve both on the Texas Railroad Commission and the state’s Public Utility Commission, will practice energy law at Vinson and Elkins, the international law firm announced Tuesday.
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Energy
Legislation Aims to Boost Electricity Conservation
Some state lawmakers are trying to cut Texas’ energy use by encouraging demand response – programs under which utilities reward customers for powering down electricity guzzlers when demand peaks.
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Energy
Legislation Would Let Electric Generators Get Bigger
Texas bars companies from owning or controlling more than 20 percent of the electric generation capacity in the state. A lawmaker wants to eliminate that cap.
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Energy
Utility Regulators See Rise in Complaints, Analysis Says
Texans in 2014 complained more about their electricity service than in the previous fiscal year, reversing a trend of growing satisfaction, according to a new analysis.
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Energy
State Revives Low-Income Energy Efficiency Plan
Texas regulators say they have a plan to provide low-income Texans with the tools to help them interact with “smart” meters and improve energy efficiency at their homes – tapping $18.5 million of ratepayer money long earmarked for such a program.
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Energy
Liveblog: Energy at The Texas Tribune Festival
We’re liveblogging the sessions from the 2014 Texas Tribune Festival’s Energy track. The sessions include panels on the state’s power grid, the potential impact of energy reform in Mexico on Texas, the debate over hydraulic fracturing and a deeper look at the state’s drilling boom.
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Energy
On Climate Rules, Texas Regulators Look Beyond Litigation
Texas should not bank on legal action to free itself from the Obama administration’s proposal to tackle climate change, two state regulators said Friday at a Public Utility Commission workshop.
