TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
The best of our best content from Feb. 21 to 25, 2011. Full Story
The latest energy news from The Texas Tribune.
The best of our best content from Feb. 21 to 25, 2011. Full Story
With the one-year anniversary of the BP oil-rig explosion approaching, Ian Crawford of KUT News spoke with Carter Smith, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, about the state of the Gulf and why researchers may be studying its effects for decades. Full Story
It’s renewable energy lobby week at the Capitol, and as Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, the budget shortfall — though sure to dampen hopes for some legislation — isn't keeping advocates from pushing for a number of energy programs. Full Story
The power failures earlier this month have called into question one of Texas' most basic tenets: that we do everything, including deregulation, better than anyone else. Full Story
The best of our best content from Feb. 14 to 18, 2011. Full Story
What’s in a name? The Texas Railroad Commission — and the elected officials who run it — may soon find out. Full Story
This week, lawmakers from two senate committees called the power players in the electricity industry to Austin to grill them about the rolling blackouts on Feb. 2. As it turns out, many of those executives and their companies' PACs have contributed thousands to the senators who were questioning them. Full Story
The state grid operator on Wednesday released an updated — albeit still partial — list of power plants that went down during the statewide rolling blackouts on Feb. 2. Full Story
The big power companies in Texas on the hot seat during a Senate hearing about this month's rolling blackouts have donated more than $400,000 since 2000 to members of the two committees asking questions. The donations are part of nearly $4 million in campaign money the companies and their employees have spent on political candidates during that time. Full Story
As hearings continued this afternoon at the Capitol, power plant owners tried to explain why so many of their operations failed during the Feb. 2 rolling blackouts. Full Story
At a state Senate hearing this morning on Texas's rolling blackouts earlier this month, ERCOT released the first list — albeit a very partial one — of power plants that failed during the Feb. 2 crisis. Full Story
The Texas electric grid operator is facing questions on a range of fronts, including its policy of not disclosing information about the power grid's day-to-day operations and its inability to ensure adequate weatherization of power plants. Full Story
Texas' superlatives are nothing to brag about, according to the fifth edition of "Texas on the Brink," an annual review that ranks the state on dozens of factors ranging from health insurance to voter turnout. Full Story
The vast majority of the state's wind turbines have gone up in West Texas. But several big wind farms have recently begun operating in the general vicinity of Corpus Christi, and more coastal projects are likely on the way — to the distress of bird-lovers and the military. Full Story
Lots of Texans are asking that question in the wake of last week's electricity mess, and nobody's going to be happy with the answer, which is: "It depends" (if you ask the electricity industry); or "Yes" (if you ask consumer advocates). Full Story
The state's electric grid operator has predicted record electricity demand Thursday morning, just over a week after cold weather led to rolling power outages across Texas. But as Matt Largey of KUT News reports, grid operators say this time will be different. Full Story
Basically, Texas has its own grid to avoid dealing with — you guessed it — the feds. But grid independence has been violated a few times over the years — not even counting Mexico's help during blackouts in 2011. Full Story
When blackouts rolled through the state last week, wholesale electricity rates skyrocketed to more than 50 times their normal price, finally hitting a set limit. But as Matt Largey of KUT News reports, the timing of changes to that limit is raising questions. Full Story
El Pasoans are not supposed to shower today. Or wash dishes, or do the laundry. The city is in the third day of a severe water shortage, which was partly caused by last week's rolling blackouts. Restrictions may be lifted tonight. Full Story
An audio interview with Trip Doggett, president and chief executive of the Texas grid operator, ERCOT Full Story