Skip to content

The Texas Observer

Since 1954

  • Get the Magazine
  • Donate
  • Digital Library
  • Sections
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Support
  • The MOLLY Awards
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Digital Library
  • Toggle Search Search icon
  • Sections

    • Border and Immigration
    • Civil Rights
    • Criminal Justice
    • Culture
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Extremism
    • Housing
    • Indigenous Affairs
    • Labor
    • Loon Star State
    • Politics
    • Public Health
    • Reviews
    • Rural Texas
    • Photo Essays
    • Poetry
  • About

    • About the Observer
    • Staff
    • The Texas Democracy Foundation
    • Leak to the Observer
    • Work for the Texas Observer
    • Syndication
  • The Magazine

    • Get the Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Library
  • Support

    • Give a Membership
    • Donate
    • Become a Member
    • Legacy Giving
    • Member Portal
  • The MOLLY Awards

    • About the MOLLYs
  • Search

Socials

  • Find the Texas Observer on Facebook
  • Find the Texas Observer on Twitter
  • Find the Texas Observer on Instagram
  • Find the Texas Observer on Mastodon
  • Find the Texas Observer on Bluesky

power grid

Texas Nights Are Getting Hotter, and the Power Grid Isn’t Ready

The state grid was built on the assumption that demand would fall at night. As hotter evenings and around-the-clock power use erase that drop, the system is being pushed in ways its original design did not fully anticipate.

by Mezabahnur Masum

Keep Reading

Country’s Largest Air Pollution Permit Issued to Power Plant for Data Centers in West Texas, Developer Says

by Dylan Baddour

Proposed Transmission Line Threatens Texas’ Largest Reservoir 

by Lise Olsen

Strangest State: Power, Gators, UFOs, and Cockfights

by Texas Observer Staff

Row upon row of solar panels installed in the scrubby Texas desert, angled to catch the maximum amount of sunlight. Jul 29, 2022

Energy Advocates Urge Biden to Declare Climate Emergency

Intervention by the federal government could protect Gulf Coast "sacrifice zones" while keeping the power on amid record temperatures.

by Candice Bernd

Feb 10, 2022

A Year After Blackout, Texans Navigate Climate Trauma in a Failing Fossil State

State residents are struggling with climate PTSD after last week’s freeze as Big Oil maintains its grip on state politicians.

by Candice Bernd

  • Find the Texas Observer on Facebook
  • Find the Texas Observer on Twitter
  • Find the Texas Observer on Instagram
  • Find the Texas Observer on Mastodon
  • Find the Texas Observer on Bluesky

Sections

  • Border and Immigration
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Culture
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Eye on Texas
  • Extremism
  • Housing
  • Indigenous Affairs
  • Labor
  • Loon Star State
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Rural Texas
  • Reviews
  • Photo Essays
  • Poetry

About

  • About the Observer
  • Staff
  • The Texas Democracy Foundation
  • Republish Us (Syndication)
  • Work for the Texas Observer
  • The Molly National Journalism Prize

The Magazine

  • Get the Magazine
  • Archives
  • Where to Find the Texas Observer
  • Digital Library

Contact

  • Contacts List
  • Leak to the Observer
  • Pitch to the Texas Observer

Support

  • Donate
  • Become a Member
  • Legacy Giving
  • Member Portal

Events

  • RSVP

Get the newsletter

Sign up for The Lede

Get the stories you need to know about each week. Delivered every Sunday.

Sign Up Now

© 2026 The Texas Observer. All rights reserved. Site made in collaboration with CMYK.

Privacy Policy • Terms and Conditions