Gov. Greg Abbott makes interim Public Utility Commission appointment
The nomination comes the same week that ERCOT asked Texans to cut back their electricity use to avoid outages. Cobos’ term will last until Sept. 1 Full Story
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![Lori Cobos was appointed to the position of Public Utility Commission of Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 17, 2020.]()
Credit: Image via Texas State Directory -
Gov. Greg Abbott says power grid better than ever as Texans asked to cut back electricity use
A number of power plants were inexplicably offline at the same time that Texas was experiencing record June demand for electricity. ERCOT officials are still working to determine why. Full Story
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![Details of electrical transformers at the Austin Energy/Sand Hill Energy Center
in Del Valle on March 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Is Texas headed toward another blackout? Did the Legislature fix the power grid? Here are answers to your questions about the grid.
The state’s grid operator indicated that conditions are improving and said that power outages to residents are unlikely. Full Story
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![Electrical power lines near the Sand Hill Energy Center in Del Valle on March 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: Tickets for the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival are on sale now
As we emerge from the pandemic, our signature annual ideas conference will be a best-of-both-worlds convening. Some of our programming will be virtual. Some of it will be in person. All of it will be awesome. Full Story
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Everyday Texans overlooked in state lawmakers' response to power outages during winter storm
While lawmakers took significant steps toward preventing another blackout, hardly any of the proposals passed during this legislative session will aid consumers in recovering from the February storm — but they’ll see higher utility bills. Full Story
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![The Decker Creek Power Station, a natural gas power plant northeast of Austin on February 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Most of Lubbock will join the ERCOT grid this weekend
The city made plans to join the state's main power grid in 2015. But some residents and leaders feel anxious about the move after February's deadly winter storm. Full Story
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![Four reliability coordinators monitor the state power grid during a tour of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor on August 14, 2012.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Julia Robinson -
Texas could give landowners more say in eminent domain negotiations under bill sent to Greg Abbott’s desk
After failing last session, lawmakers finalized a bill — described as a “delicate compromise” — that provides new protections for landowners in negotiating with companies attempting to seize their land through eminent domain. Full Story
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![Construction on the Permian Highway Pipeline Through Central Texas in Hays County on June 29, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas -
Texas Legislature approves bills to require power plants to "weatherize," among other measures to overhaul electric grid
The Texas House and Senate both approved negotiated versions of Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3, the two sweeping bills to change the state’s power grid and the people who oversee it. Full Story
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![The Blanco Vista neighborhood of San Marcos is blanketed with several inches of snow as a massive winter weather system causes power outages across Texas on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature close to approving billions to pay for winter storm financial fallout
Several billions of dollars in state-approved financing will be necessary to stabilize the state’s distressed energy market after the winter storm. Texas approves more in finance bailouts for its utilities than any other state. 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 don't have clean drinking water or working water at all.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Two years after disastrous chemical fire, Texas close to creating new safety rules for industry
Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, spent years negotiating with industry groups to get new regulations placed on the chemical industry after the ITC fire in 2019. The bill has passed both chambers, but small changes need to be ironed out before it is sent to Gov. Greg Abbott. Full Story
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![Smoke rises from a fire burning at the Intercontinental Terminals Company in Deer Park, east of Houston on March 18, 2019.]()
Credit: Jaimie Meldrum/Handout via REUTERS -
Houston, Harris County get nothing in latest round of $1 billion federal Hurricane Harvey relief funding
Houston and Harris County were denied funding over other Texas communities despite requesting $1.3 billion for ongoing relief efforts. Local officials are asking the federal government to intervene. Full Story
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![Damage from Hurricane Harvey near the gulf coast on August 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Tomas Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs law to bar city climate plans from banning natural gas as fuel source
House Bill 17 is a response to a trend in California, where cities have passed energy efficiency plans that prohibit new subdivisions from offering natural gas heating in order to reduce emissions. Full Story
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![A flame burning natural gas is seen on an oil rig outside of Mentone on Oct. 12, 2014.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature approves bill to ban residential wholesale electricity plans — the first major winter storm bill sent to the governor
Time is running out on a slate of other bills lawmakers are considering that stem from February's deadly winter storm. Full Story
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![Lisa Chumley, a second-grade teacher in Dallas, received a bill of over $11,000 from Griddy for less of a week of electricity. Griddy charged $9 per kilowatt through the days of the winter storm, leaving many Texans with extremely high charges.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Alliance of Texas environmental, oil interests block bill that would have given nuclear waste company a financial break
Opponents said the legislation wasn’t strong enough to stop highly radioactive materials from coming to Texas and instead amounted to a financial giveaway to a West Texas nuclear waste company. Full Story
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![The entrance to the Waste Control Specialists site, where radioactive and hazardous waste is being stored on Jan. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers propose electricity market bailout after winter storm
Lawmakers argue that spreading costs through the whole market — which will get passed through to consumers’ bills — is necessary to stabilize the state’s electricity market and prevent even higher costs. 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 don't have clean drinking water or working water at all.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House advances plan to subsidize power plant weatherization
With the clock on the Legislative session ticking down, the Texas House moved to help fund power plant upgrades for extreme weather. Full Story
![Details of electrical transformers at the Austin Energy/Sand Hill Energy Center
in Del Valle on March 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature advances bills to shield oil and gas from climate initiatives
“Oil and gas is the lifeblood of the Texas economy,” state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said on the House floor Monday. Full Story
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![Oil pumpjacks in Andrews County, northeast of Kermit.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House targets power grid flaw that cut electricity to natural gas facilities and worsened February blackouts
The lower chamber gave initial approval Monday to a series of bills responding to this year’s catastrophic power outages during a deadly winter storm. Full Story
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![A mobile home park is covered with snow as a massive winter storm continues to engulf Texas, causing widespread power and water outages across the state. Feb 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Despite natural gas failures during winter storm, Texas lawmakers target renewable energy in the aftermath
As lawmakers advance bills targeting renewable energy sources, experts call the efforts “discriminatory” and “politically motivated.” Full Story
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![Wind turbines operated at sunrise in the Permian Basin, an area of oil and natural gas production, in Big Spring in 2019.]()
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Texas energy companies push back against Berkshire Hathaway’s $8 billion plan for backup power
Revenue for 10 emergency power plants would come from a monthly charge on Texans’ power bills. The proposal is just one of several bills lawmakers are considering after February's massive power outages. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol grounds are covered in snow on Feb. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune