It’s shaping up to be another difficult summer for the Texas power grid. A national nonprofit has projected that the Texas grid will have the lowest percentage of power reserves this summer of any region of the country.
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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Energy
Smart Meter Resistance Rises as Towns Say No
Smart electricity meters have long been criticized by those who say they present a health risks and infringe on individual rights. Now, with legislative action to allow property owners to deny meters failing, municipalities are picking up the slack.
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Energy
Cause of West Explosion Remains Unclear
The cause of the West fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people on April 17 has been ruled “undetermined,” officials announced at a press conference in the town’s high school parking lot on Thursday.
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Energy
Diana Davids Hinton: The TT Interview
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin professor and expert on Texas oil history on the current fracking boom and how it compares to the great booms of the past, as well as the strange way in which the Railroad Commission came to regulate oil and gas drilling.
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Energy
After West Disaster, Little Discussion on Soil Issues
As the fertilizer plant explosion in West continues to elicit debate about regulation, one factor that hasn’t been discussed as much is the unique needs of the soil in Central Texas.
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Energy
No Reforms for Railroad Commission This Session
A name change and several ethics reforms on the table this legislative session for the Railroad Commission of Texas, which oversees oil and gas drilling, died on Tuesday in a House committee.
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Energy
Pitts: Budget Leaders Close on School and Water Financing
State lawmakers would spend $3.2 billion for public education and $2 billion for water funding under plans being worked out by budget leaders, House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts said Tuesday.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Interactive: Mapping Texas Facilities With Ammonium Nitrate
More than 110 facilities across Texas store ammonium nitrate in some form, according to state records. Use our interactive to see where in the facilities are located and how far they are from schools and hospitals.
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Energy
Criminal Investigation Launched Into West Explosion
The Texas Rangers and the McLennan County sheriff’s office are launching a criminal investigation into the fertilizer plant explosion last month in West.
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Energy
After West Explosion, Other Chemical Stockpiles Come Under Scrutiny
As state and federal regulators analyze the patchwork of policies governing the fertilizer plant that exploded in West, the incident has prompted a closer look at communities that lie near stockpiles of chemicals.