Electricity

Houstonian Sandra Edwards, who lost power for four days during the blackout, started getting electric bills this spring that are almost double what they used to be. That’s because electricity has its own supply chain — and everybody needs to get paid.

The 3.85% increase would generate about $73 million per year for the utility which officials said would go towards weatherization, technology, staffing, and growth for the utility. It’s a substantial decrease from more than 10% proposed earlier this year.

A state block on cutting off electricity has expired. How will this impact the low income households hammered during the pandemic? How one town suffered when they decided lowering taxes is more important than a local hospital. And we are not out of this pandemic yet — we are now facing the delta variant.

“Nobody should be in that kind of heat because their power has been removed,” Betty Gregory said. “That’s violence. That’s spraying me with guns, if you turn off my power and turn your back. I'm serious. I’m very serious. This heat is not playing.”

Despite hotter-than-normal summer temperatures in the forecast, private electricity companies are pressuring the Public Utility Commission of Texas, or PUC, to allow power shutoffs for people who haven’t paid their bills. Many Texans are behind on bills.

ERCOT has released a preliminary report about the causes of the power outages during February’s winter storm. But some stakeholders are already calling for it to be clarified — or even retracted. Industry experts say the news media and public are misinterpreting the data.

With two months left in the legislative session, Texas state policymakers are split on two key issues related to the deadly power outages in February: electricity repricing and natural gas reforms.

The energy grid in Texas is simultaneously unprepared for and actively contributing to the processes behind climate change. But because of the state’s historical reliance on fossil fuels, conversations about adaptation often lack candor — or don’t happen at all.

Griddy made headlines for sending massive bills to customers after a winter storm sent wholesale electricity skyrocketing.

Two energy industry behemoths may soon consolidate even more of the electric utility market share as a result of a Friday-evening decision by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.