Articles tagged: energy
As the Power Grid Waivers Again, Texans Are Still Recovering From the Winter Storm
Experts say the energy reform bill signed by Governor Greg Abbott doesn’t go far enough to protect Texans from future blackouts.
This article was produced through the NPR NextGen/Texas Observer Print Scholars program, a new collaboration designed to offer mentorship and hands-on training ...Read More
Texans With Disabilities Were Left to Fend for Themselves During Winter Storm Uri
Emergency planning often overlooks the needs of the most vulnerable during natural disasters.
When the power went out at Ann Foxworth’s home in Austin on February 15, the 71-year old’s phone rang nonstop as friends checked in on her and her husband. ...Read More
ERCOT Asked Texans to Conserve Power as Electric Grid Again Struggled to Keep Up with Demand
A higher than expected amount of plant outages for maintenance created tight conditions for Texas' power grid. It returned to normal late Tuesday evening.
“ERCOT asked Texans to conserve power as electric grid again struggled to keep up with demand” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit...Read More
ERCOT Is Refusing to Release Records On How it Prepared for the Winter Storm
The nonprofit corporation is asking Ken Paxton’s office for permission to ignore requests seeking information on the costliest winter storm in the state’s history.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas—the corporation at the center of the power grid failure that left millions of Texans with heat or power last month a...Read More
Loon Star: The Great Freeze
Playing the blame game.
To see more political cartoons from Ben Sargent, visit our Loon Star State section, or find Observer political reporting here. After Texas’ electrical gri...Read More
ERCOT Increased Revenue and Executive Pay In Years Before Texas Power Outages
Top ERCOT officials collected six-figure salaries while failing to prepare for extreme weather events that they were warned about.
Bill Magness sat in the Texas Senate chamber for several hours Thursday, defending himself and the Electric Reliability Corporation of Texas (ERCOT) that he run...Read More
Clogged Toilets, Snow Inside: How the Winter Storm Exacerbated Problems in Texas Lock-Ups
After the near-total collapse of the state’s electric grid, many jails and prisons lacked heat and running water.
For more than a week, 60-year-old Willis Darby was pretty sure he had COVID-19: He was congested and suffering from headaches at the Bastrop County Jail where h...Read More
“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.
“Power companies get exactly what they want”: How Texas repeatedly failed to protect its power grid against extreme weather” was first published by Th...Read More
Why Texas Wasn’t Prepared for Winter Storm Uri
A disaster management expert weighs in on how poor planning and communication failures deepened the crisis that left millions without power during the deep freeze.
The snow has melted and the record-breaking, freezing temperatures have warmed back up, but Texans in nearly every county will be dealing with the aftermath of ...Read More