Griddy customers moved to other electricity providers after ERCOT boots it from Texas market
Griddy made headlines for sending massive bills to customers after a winter storm sent wholesale electricity skyrocketing. Full Story
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![Scenes from McKinney during the winter storm affecting the entire state. The storm brought snow, ice, and freezing temperatu…]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Another ERCOT board member resigns as lawmakers criticize power grid operator for massive electricity outages
Texas lawmakers have questioned and criticized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for days about the near-collapse of the state’s power grid last week. Full Story
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![Firefighters clear snow and ice from a side walk outside of the Rebekah Baines Johnson Center in East Austin on Feb. 17, 202…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch live: Texas House and Senate holding hearings about last week's winter storm
Lawmakers will continue asking a litany of officials and executives how last week's power outages happened. Legislators in both chambers spent more than 12 hours investigating the disruptions Thursday. Full Story
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![A committee hearing room featuring plexiglass dividers on Jan. 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
How Texas’ power grid works
Who are the major players and how do they manage the power grid in Texas? Full Story
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Catastrophic Texas power outages prompt finger pointing and blame shifting at legislative hearings
Lawmakers grilled public regulators and energy grid officials about how power outages happened and why Texans weren't given more warnings about the danger. Full Story
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![Electrical workers repair a power line in Austin on Feb. 18, 2021. Many Texas residents are still without power, and many do…]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Winter storm could cost Texas more money than any disaster in state history
Lawmakers and analysts say it is too soon for an exact estimate, but the financial damage from the storm has left state lawmakers scrambling to account for the storm in the middle of the 2021 legislative session. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol during the winter storm on Feb. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas utility regulator to investigate indexed retail electric providers following massive electric bills
While these plans are allowed under state law, the Texas Public Utility Commission said that “an influx of complaints into our Customer Protection Division has caused concerns that questionable business practices might be exacerbating the situation.” Full Story
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![A car moves through a neighborhood in West Austin that is without power on Feb 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Resigning ERCOT board members acknowledge "pain and suffering" from extreme power grid strain that caused outages for millions of Texans
In the power grid operator’s first board meeting since Texas’ power outages, a sixth ERCOT board member confirmed his resignation, and new details show that a shortage of natural gas fuel was a bigger problem last week than in 2011. Full Story
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![A variety of power lines in Dallas near Greenville Avenue during a winter storm on Feb. 16, 2021. Thousands of Dallas reside…]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: What's next for Texas after last week's winter storm?
On this week's TribCast, Matthew talks with Ross, Alana and Erin about the political fallout from the winter storm and what the state might do to prevent future widespread power outages. Full Story
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![An aerial view of southbound Interstate 35 at Stassney Lane in south Austin after a severe snow storm hit the state. Feb. 15…]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott, in statewide address, promises answers on winter weather disaster
"Tragic does not even begin to describe" the suffering Texans endured, Abbott said Wednesday evening. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott spoke at a press conference about the winter storm that was approaching Texas on Feb. 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Winter storm response should focus on public safety, not dollars
For lack of heat and water, people died last week — in the great state of Texas and in their own homes — who would be alive right now, had the state taken heed of recommendations made after past winter storms and blackouts. Full Story
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![The Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas in Austin on Feb. 17, 2021.]()
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ERCOT board members who live outside of Texas are resigning in the aftermath of the power outage, winter storm
Five board members, including the chair, who do not live in Texas will resign. A candidate for another position on the board has withdrawn his application. The vacancies will not immediately be filled. Full Story
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![A CVS Pharmacy in South Austin is lit only by the lights of a parked car. Various parts throughout the state lost power as a…]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas woman who received $9,300 electricity bill files class-action lawsuit against wholesale electricity provider Griddy
A Chambers County resident filed a class-action lawsuit against electricity retailer Griddy on Monday, accusing the provider of price gouging customers during last week’s freeze. She is seeking $1 billion in relief for affected customers. Full Story
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![Snow of the roof of houses in South Austin after a massive snowstorm hit the state. Feb. 16, 2021.]()
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Point of Order: The outage and the outrage
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber about the state’s failure to prepare for a brutal winter storm, the fragile electric grid we depend on, and whether the future of energy is bright or bleak. Full Story
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“Power companies get exactly what they want”: How Texas repeatedly failed to protect its power grid against extreme weather
Texas regulators and lawmakers knew about the grid’s vulnerabilities for years, but time and again they furthered the interests of large electricity providers. Full Story
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![Jacob Duran prepares wood for a grill. Duran has been cooking meals outsides after his apartment lost power. Feb. 18, 2021.]()
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Here's how Texans can apply for federal help to recover from the devastating winter storm
Texas sustained between $45 and $50 billion in damage and economic loss from the storm, according to AccuWeather. So far, people in more than 100 counties can begin applying for federal assistance. Full Story
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![Volunteer Kaede Polkinghorne, center, helps a team of volunteers prepare masks at Kelly Garden at a supply distribution even…]()
Credit: May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribune -
A family is suing Texas’ power grid operator after their son died from suspected hypothermia. But ERCOT may be shielded from lawsuits.
A Conroe family is suing ERCOT and Entergy Texas for a total of $100 million after their son died inside his bed from suspected hypothermia. Full Story
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![Cristian Pavon Pineda, 11, was found dead in his family's home in Conroe after a severe winter storm plummeted temperatures…]()
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Texans blindsided by massive electric bills await details of Gov. Greg Abbott's promised relief
Electric bills are likely to rise for everyone, experts and consumer advocates say, but some Texans on variable rate contracts have been hit with immediate, massive price spikes. Lawmakers and the governor have promised to help, but haven't said how. Full Story
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![Karen Knox, a special education teacher at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, received a bill of over $7K from Griddy for less …]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas failed in a storm, again. Will we be ready next time?
State leaders will start an investigation this week to figure out why utilities in Texas were outmatched by a weeklong winter storm. They did the same thing 10 years ago, and we still weren't ready. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping …]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott says power is almost fully restored statewide and grocery stores will soon be restocked
Abbott said power should be fully restored across the state Sunday night or Monday. Full Story
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![Volunteer Catherine Tuppen helps with the water and beverage station at Kelly Village, a supply distribution site, on Feb. 1…]()
Credit: May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribune