“He has total veto power”: Greg Abbott takes control over who will lead Texas’ troubled power grid, sources say

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about preparations for a winter storm at a press conference on Feb. 1, nearly one year after the deadly 2021 winter storm that left millions of Texans without power for days. (Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune)

When Brad Jones was tapped as interim CEO of the nonprofit that runs the state’s power grid following the deadly February 2021 winter storm that left most of Texas without power for days, he said he would help stabilize the grid and get it through the summer. Jones was clear that he wasn’t interested in keeping the job long term.

Now, 15 months after Jones became interim CEO — and more than a month after the June target date when Jones had told colleagues and conference crowds that he wanted to step down — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ new board of directors still has not selected his successor.