Heat-related emergency calls have spiked amid historic heat. Cooling centers are available in major cities but often close in the late afternoon — during the hottest parts of the day.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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Economy
Top Texas Republicans, Biden administration look to grow the state’s semiconductor industry
As companies like Samsung and Texas Instruments expand their operations in the state, Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders are backing federal efforts to grow the industry.
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Economy
Limiting crypto helped the Texas power grid weather a heat wave
Cryptocurrency mining requires huge amounts of electricity, prompting concerns over the industry’s environmental impact — and whether the state’s grid can keep up.
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Economy
For Lubbock residents, conserving energy to prevent mass outages is a new thing to navigate
Until last year, Lubbock residents didn’t get electricity from the main power grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Now, many residents are getting used to requests to limit electricity consumption.
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Economy
Inflation, high energy prices mean the Texas Legislature will have unprecedented funds to allocate next year
The state will have an extra $27 billion in its coffers in 2023 — money that could help pay for property tax cuts and other legislative priorities.
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Economy
Texans face skyrocketing home energy bills as the state exports more natural gas than ever
The cost of electricity in Texas is tightly tied to the price of natural gas, which has more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
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Economy
Since 2005, Texas has lost more newspaper journalists per capita than all but two other states
Of Texas’ 254 counties, 27 no longer have a newspaper. Loss of local news coverage has been associated with higher levels of mistrust, misinformation and malfeasance. Only California and New Jersey have lost more newspaper journalists, relative to population.
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Climate Change in Texas
West Texas farmers and ranchers fear the worst as drought, heat near 2011 records
2011 was the driest year on record for Texas, causing an estimated cost of $7.62 billion in crop and livestock losses. A dry and hot June has many sounding alarm bells about 2022.
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Economy
Four Texas Democrats in Congress warn Biden against restricting U.S. oil exports
It is the latest example of how Texas Democrats are on edge over the administration’s approach to high gas prices.
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Economy
T-Squared: Introducing our summer fellows
The Texas Tribune’s fellows play important roles throughout the organization.