The Latest Breaking News from Public Utility Commission

After public pressure, Texas OKs more 765 lines, directing companies to work with landowners

The Public Utility Commission voted to greenlight some proposals to build first-of-their-kind transmission lines after approving two massive lines last month.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 11

Texas grid faces winter after failed attempt to get more power online

Industry experts continue to argue over whether the electricity market in Texas needs to change to make the grid more reliable in winter and summer.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 1, 2023

Texas utility commission chair raises threat of summer power outages and pushes for more gas-powered electricity

Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake said renewable energy could be critical to preventing power outages this summer. Renewable energy supporters said the grid’s reliability doesn’t hinge on wind and solar.

The Texas Tribune · May 4, 2023

State agency that oversees Texas power grid needs more money to do its job, Sunset Commission finds

The Public Utility Commission has about 200 employees but needs more to handle shoring up the state power grid and tackling an expanded list of regulatory duties, according to the state Sunset Advisory Commission.

The Texas Tribune · Jan 12, 2023

Texas lawmakers ask state agency to delay power market redesign until after 2023 legislative session

In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas’ electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Regulators say it would.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 5, 2022

Gov. Greg Abbott touts Texas power grid’s readiness heading into fall, election season

The governor shared the favorable forecast — which is normal for the fall months — ahead of a competitive race in which the grid’s performance during last year’s fatal winter storm may factor into Texans’ decisions at the polls.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 6, 2022

Beto O’Rourke, other Texas Democrats say they can fix the grid. Here’s what experts think

AUSTIN — Beto O’Rourke and Mike Collier want to talk about Texas’ power grid.

Tribune News Service · Aug 20, 2022

Phone bills are about to go up for some in Texas. Here’s why.

The rate increase will help replenish a state fund to maintain and operate cellphone networks in rural Texas. A court determined the state’s Public Utility Commission needed to restore $200 million in overdue money to the fund.

The Texas Tribune · Aug 9, 2022

How to know the difference between a local power outage and rolling blackouts

Power outages are a possibility during any severe weather event. But a local power outage is different from a larger power grid problem.

The Texas Tribune · Jul 19, 2022