Winter Storm 2021

Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to end his pandemic restrictions on masks and business capacity was a surprise — and a convenient change of subject for an executive under scrutiny for statewide blackouts last month. Full Story 

A subcommittee chair wrote in a letter to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas that the grid’s failures were “costly” and disproportionately affected low-income communities and communities of color. Full Story 

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for PUC Chair DeAnn Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Bill Magness to resign. Full Story 

Griddy claims it billed some customers tens of thousands of dollars due to skyrocketing wholesale electricity prices. Meanwhile, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday calling those price increases "devastating." Full Story 

Patrick's statements come after the officials testified for hours late last week in committee hearings as state lawmakers grilled them over the power grid failures. Full Story 

Debbie Gosnell, city manager of Cross Plains, said it could take months for her community to recover from the winter storm. Without approval for federal aid, Gosnell worries the town's budget will not cover the numerous broken pipes and damaged buildings. Full Story 

Many hourly wage employees across the state lost working hours last week during the storm and power outage disaster. Now, they’re left with a choice between paying for rent or groceries. Full Story 

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

Biden was joined by Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, among other officials. Full Story 

Texas lawmakers have questioned and criticized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for days about the near-collapse of the state’s power grid last week. Full Story 

School districts report flooded classrooms and gyms, and teachers have lost supplies and learning materials. The damage is further disrupting a school year already upended by the pandemic. Full Story 

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 

A longstanding shortage of plumbers and disruptions to the supply chain of plumbing materials delivered to the state have combined to delay pipe and water heater repairs. Full Story 

Rural counties endured the same storm as big cities, but many haven't fallen under President Joe Biden's major disaster declaration. Officials say it's because those counties lack data on damages. Full Story 

Who are the major players and how do they manage the power grid in Texas? Full Story 

Lawmakers grilled public regulators and energy grid officials about how power outages happened and why Texans weren't given more warnings about the danger. Full Story 

Lawmakers and analysts say it is too soon for an exact estimate, but the financial damage from the storm has left state lawmakers scrambling to account for the storm in the middle of the 2021 legislative session. Full Story 

Plumbers and supplies to fix broken pipes are in high demand, but apartment complexes also present more difficulties than single-family homes when it comes to repairs. Full Story 

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 

The historic winter storm wiped out most of South Texas' citrus crop and halted dairy processing in the Panhandle for days. Consumers will likely continue seeing short-term shortages, producers say. Full Story