Next year’s primary elections start a year after a winter storm knocked out power across Texas — and the government response to that disaster could be on voters’ minds.
Texas Railroad Commission
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Texas 2022 Elections
Democrat running for Texas agency that regulates the energy industry focusing his campaign on furor over power grid failure
Luke Warford, a 32-year-old former Texas Democratic Party staffer, is challenging Republican incumbent Wayne Christian for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission.
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Winter Storm 2021
Power companies required to better prepare plants for winter in first phase of rule approved by Texas regulators
The state Public Utility Commission adopted a rule — which experts first recommended a decade ago following a winter storm — requiring power companies to use “best efforts” to ensure plants can operate in the winter.
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Energy
Oil industry helped handpick members of Texas advisory group for electric grid reliability, emails show
Oil and gas industry groups provided a list of names to the Railroad Commission for appointment to a council formed in response to the February power crisis. All four of the industry’s top choices were selected.
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Winter Storm 2021
Texas senators blast regulator for power grid winterization loophole lawmakers wrote into law
The law says the state’s natural gas system won’t be required to prepare for extreme weather until 2022 at the earliest and allows companies to opt out of weatherization requirements.
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: The Texas electric grid and the improvements that didn’t come
Texas lawmakers passed major bills in response to the winter storm power outages that killed hundreds of Texans in February. But there’s still a lot to do.
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Winter Storm 2021
When the power went out, Texas oil and gas regulators rushed to defend the industry’s image
Members of the Texas Railroad Commission were quick to blame renewable energy for power outages across the state. All sources of energy struggled to produce power during the storm.
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: After statewide power outages, Texas lawmakers reconsider an ounce of prevention
Power outages during a winter storm have the Texas Legislature considering remedies — and a flaw in their response to a previous storm.
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: Warren Buffett’s power play puts a price on electric reliability in Texas
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy wants to build 10 electric plants in Texas, for use when demand peaks or other plants falter. And it’s the first time a price tag has been attached to a remedy since last month’s deadly storm.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ natural gas and power generators would have to prepare for extreme temperatures under bill Senate committee approved
The wide-ranging proposal includes a number of reforms that have been floating around the state Capitol since last month’s deadly winter storm left millions without electricity during freezing temperatures.