The latest Texas Public Utility Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
Lawmakers will continue asking a litany of officials and executives how last week's power outages happened. Legislators in both chambers spent more than 12 hours investigating the disruptions Thursday. Full Story
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While these plans are allowed under state law, the Texas Public Utility Commission said that “an influx of complaints into our Customer Protection Division has caused concerns that questionable business practices might be exacerbating the situation.” Full Story
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Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee said operators should have been prepared after 2011’s hard freeze. Travis County District Attorney José Garza told local media that his office will determine whether criminal charges should be filed against any person or entity. Full Story
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Texas regulators and lawmakers knew about the grid’s vulnerabilities for years, but time and again they furthered the interests of large electricity providers. Full Story
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Electric bills are likely to rise for everyone, experts and consumer advocates say, but some Texans on variable rate contracts have been hit with immediate, massive price spikes. Lawmakers and the governor have promised to help, but haven't said how. Full Story
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Texans face a cascade of frustrations and expenses as the state tries to recover from the storm. Insurance companies are bracing for claims rivaling those after major hurricanes, and homeowners are trying to find plumbers and electricians. Full Story
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As Texans struggle with terrible winter weather, electric utility failures affecting more than 4 million households, a pandemic and a botched vaccine rollout, a natural question arises: Do state leaders know what they're doing? Full Story
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Texans stuck at home need high-speed internet for schooling, for work, for shopping, for medicine, for entertainment — the live, in-person activities we all took for granted a year ago. Sounds simple enough, but there’s a lot to untangle. Full Story
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A state fund that subsidizes rural network service is bleeding money. Now the state is drastically cutting the amount of money that it typically pays out to these service providers. Full Story
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Once the program ends, customers could be on the hook for partial back payments. Full Story
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Rural Texans have been clamoring for high-speed internet services for years, and the requirements of a pandemic — work, schools and medicine — have raised the stakes. But a state fund that helps provide those services is in financial trouble. Full Story
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Evictions and debt collections have resumed, child care subsidies will be discontinued and those who are out of work will again have to prove they are searching for a job in order to receive unemployment benefits. Full Story
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Although some counties have moratoriums on disconnections, in most of the state customers need to apply for the benefit. Full Story
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The Texas Public Utility Commission approved an order Thursday that would ban disconnections of water and power service for Texans financially impacted by COVID-19 and put them on deferred payment plans. But advocates and experts say the real winner might be utility providers. Full Story
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The Public Utility Commission is considering measures to ensure Texans don't lose power in the hot summer months. A plan generators are pushing could cost $4 billion — and lead to higher electric bills. Full Story
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Despite showing an uptick in electricity complaints this year, a report released by the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power also shows that complaints and inquiries have generally decreased over the past decade. Full Story
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Warren Buffet is making a play for Texas’ largest electric transmission utility. Berkshire Hathaway, his multinational conglomerate, has unveiled a deal to buy Oncor. Full Story
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Facing sky-high electricity rates, several West Texas churches hope lawmakers will answer their calls for relief in the final days of the Legislative session, but the odds look slim. Full Story
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Chairman Donna Nelson announced Thursday that she will retire from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, ending a nine-year tenure. Full Story
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Mary Garcia, an Arlington woman who was struggling to keep her lights on after the demise of Lite-Up Texas, said she is overwhelmed by the help she has received from those who read her story. Full Story
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