As oil and gas industry traffic continues to speed through Pecos, TxDOT said it is working to find $194 million to build an alternative route away from the heart of the city.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
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Panhandle Wildfires
Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks damages from energy company linked to Texas’ largest wildfire
The lawsuit alleges Minnesota-based Xcel Energy failed to maintain utility poles that started the 2024 Panhandle fire that killed three people and thousands of livestock.
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Energy
Residents protest high-voltage power lines that could skirt Dinosaur Valley State Park
One of three possible routes would border the North Texas park. The project is part of a statewide effort to keep pace with Texas’ rapidly growing energy needs.
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Economy
Proposed data center project for Waco area would be “paradigm-changer”
The project is at a scale of industrial development and investment unmatched in McLennan County’s history: acres of computer hardware, substations and a 1.2-gigawatt gas-fired plant capable of powering about 300,000 homes.
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Listen to highlights from the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival
Hear conversations on the issues shaping Texas and the nation, including education, the economy, politics, public policy, the arts and more.
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Environment
Texas oil and gas regulators win new power to approve projects that shoot carbon underground
The EPA handed over power to the Railroad Commission after a two-year review. Critics say the commission has been too lax with the industry.
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2026 Texas Elections
Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French announces run for Texas Railroad Commission
French will face commission Chair Jim Wright in the Republican primary. The three-person panel is in charge of the agency that oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry.
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2026 Texas Elections
Gov. Greg Abbott launches reelection campaign for fourth term
Abbott framed his campaign as a means to keep Texas as a conservative bastion, touting efforts to lower property taxes, bolster education and strengthen public safety.
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State Government
Explosion of data centers causes planning struggles for Texas power grid
As companies look to build projects that consume more power than cities, the state’s grid manager is trying to plan how to provide enough electricity to meet the demand.
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Environment
A new South Texas data center will rely on untapped renewable energy
The new data center will work directly with a nearby windfarm to use energy the windfarm can’t send to the state’s electricity grid.