The stateās power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbottās directive reworks the timeline and adds new requirements.
Without key details on the audits but the eagerness to support them, policy watchers question how impactful these audits will be in curbing data center growth.
Data center developers can use nondisclosure agreements and shell companies to shield the details of their deals from the public. Even state officials also say they need more transparency from the industry.
On Monday, the governor ordered the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to audit all data centers wanting to connect to the stateās power grid.
Amid a backlash, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and a chorus of state senators said the the state's plan for building new high-voltage transmission lines needs to be changed as the oil and gas industry faces an electricity shortage.
The request comes after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and Electric Reliability Council of Texas to further regulate data centersā use of the power grid.
Nearly half of the power plants planned to supply electricity for data centers would be in Texas. Experts warn they will emit significant pollution that could harm the health of communities nearby.
A Texas Tribune analysis identified at least 248 planned data center projects. Opponents fear the projects will spike Texansā electric bills and make the grid less reliable. But industry representatives say they promise huge economic gains.
At least 248 data centers are planned to be built in Texas. Of those, nearly half will be built in unincorporated areas, where county officials are limited in their ability to regulate development, according to a Texas Tribune analysis.
Data centers are largely driving the sudden rise in natural gas power projects on the waiting list to connect to Texas' grid.
Texas could see a dramatic rise in electricity demand over the next decade, according to a new preliminary forecast from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported that peak energy demand could quadruple by 2032, but cautioned that its estimate is likely too high and must be revised.
Tens of thousands of residents and small businesses sought damages from power generators after losing electricity during the storm that resulted in billions in losses and 246 deaths.
The first small modular nuclear reactor could be powering an industrial plant in Texas early in the next decade. And the state is pushing to become the leading site for testing and building the technology.
Five years after Winter Storm Uri caused catastrophic blackouts that killed hundreds, the electric grid has changed significantly, but increasing demand means it will have to adapt even more.
ERCOT officials expected to see power demand close in on power supply by Monday 8 a.m., but the grid held āflawlessly,ā Abbott said.
State and local officials say theyāre better prepared than they were five years ago when Winter Storm Uri blanketed the state, killing hundreds and leaving scores without power and water.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the stateās main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage. The timestamp of each dashboard indicates when the information was last updated, according to ERCOTās website.
As artificial intelligence pushes demand for more data centers, companies are drawn to the stateās relatively inexpensive land and natural gas that can run on-site power plants.
As companies look to build projects that consume more power than cities, the stateās grid manager is trying to plan how to provide enough electricity to meet the demand.
Other smaller oil and gas producing regions in the state are better poised to help power the growing data center market, a new report found.
With triple-digit temps scorching Texas this week, many Houstonians are anxiously watching the sky, not just for the sun, but for signs of trouble with the power grid.
With the summer heatwave coming in hot (no pun intended), ERCOT is expecting peak demand for residents looking to cool off. Its dashboard forecasts to shatter last year's records and potentially threaten the all-time demand record.
The Legislature has tried to clamp down on renewable energy resources in the past, but many lawmakers are recognizing the need to support all types of generation to meet record demand growth.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has given the approval for CenterPoint Energy to move ahead with a proposal to utilize 15 large emergency generation units to help address the stateās generation shortfall concerns.
All Texans connected to the state grid will now pay for the generators rather than just CenterPoint customers.
Some Texans who install residential batteries, solar panels and smart thermostats can now send power back to the grid and get a credit on their bill.
From February 19-21, Texans should expect a significant drop in temperatures, with Houston and Southeast Texas seeing lows in the mid-20s by Thursday.
Some experts are skeptical the grid would see as much demand growth as ERCOT predicts, and other ERCOT models showed things getting tight but not tipping into a deficit.
Houstonās main electrical company backed off plans to raise rates after facing sharp criticism for its response to massive power outages after Hurricane Beryl.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Weather Watch from January 20-23 as extreme cold weather is forecasted to impact the state.
The Public Utility Commission found that the performance credit mechanism, a financial tool the Legislature capped at $1 billion, would only marginally improve reliability of the state power grid.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) lead meteorologist told board members the pattern this winter appears more likely to support an extreme cold event.
ERCOT says conditions this winter could spark extreme cold, but additional power supply and continued weatherization efforts will lower the risk of power outages.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas adopted the rule amid surging demand for power across the state and a growing crypto mining industry in Texas.
Naturally, with the growing power demand, it shouldnāt come as a surprise that ERCOT will reach another peak. According to ERCOTās records, its grid has reached peak demand hours consecutively each year. In August 2023, the record peaked at 85,508 MW, surpassing its peak demand from July 2022, which was at 80,148 MW.
The prediction by ERCOT reflects a new way of counting future demand and a spike in requests to connect to the grid from large power users.
The announcement was made Tuesday in a brief social media post describing Foster's work as "integral to ERCOT and to the electric power industry in Texas."
As the solar eclipse approaches, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is gearing up with strategic planning and tools to maintain Texasā power grid balance.
Years in the making, the transition from a municipal electric company to an open market has left some residents unsure.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) are asking Texans to conserve electricity usage Monday morning.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a weather watch from Jan. 14- 17 due to the hard freeze that will impact the state.
As we get closer to the freezing weather in Texas, ERCOT provides a 6-day forecast for its grid capacity. Here's what ERCOT is expecting for supply and demand during the cold snap.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the stateās main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage. The timestamp of each dashboard indicates when the information was last updated, according to ERCOTās website.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has released a forecast for January 2024 and it explains when the power grid has the highest chances of requiring conservations, and even rolling blackouts.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a Weather Watch from Jan. 15-17 due to forecasted extreme cold weather across Southeast Texas, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.
There is increasing concern for a hard freeze across Southeast Texas that will possibly happen next Monday night into Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service announced. There is also the potential for another hard freeze Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers.
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 Electric Reliability Council of Texas has canceled a request to increase operating reserves this winter as it expected to be prepared for extreme weather.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced Tuesday an update to the emergency operations reserve levels ahead of the winter months.
Only one Texan, Rep. Pete Sessions, remains in the race for House Speaker. Republicans will hear from the candidates Monday night as they try to fill the job following U.S. Rep. Jim Jordanās failure to win a majority.
The city approved a plan in 2020 to shut the Fayette Power Project plant with the aim of eliminating carbon emissions. But political, economic and technological forces have gotten in the way.
As part of the Electric Reliability Council of Texasā approach to grid operations, a request was issued to stakeholders Monday to increase operating reserves, a news release said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) instituted an Energy Emergency Alert on Wednesday but avoided calling for controlled outages to keep the grid in balance.
The sweltering heat wave in Texas has the power grid manager again asking residents to cut electricity use.
The sweltering heat wave in Texas has the power grid manager again asking residents to cut electricity use.
Riot Platforms is losing so much money that itās counting on energy credits from selling power back to the Texas grid to keep its costs under control, reports said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is asking Texans to conserve electricity use, if safe to do so, Thursday from 5 p.m. ā 9 p.m.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has asked Houston residents and businesses to conserve electricity due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind and declining solar power generation Wednesday evening.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Voluntary Conservation Notice to customers.
This is the second voluntary conservation notice issued this summer by ERCOT, which hopes to lower electricity use and avoid tight grid conditions amid an ongoing heat wave.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a weather watch due to extreme temperatures Friday and forecasted record demand.
The all-Republican court narrowly found that the nonprofit corporation operating the stateās electrical grid qualifies for sovereign immunity, which protects government entities from lawsuits.
Texasā power grid operator is asking residents to voluntarily cut back on electricity due to anticipated record demand on the system as a heat wave keeps parts of the state and southern U.S. in triple-digit temperatures.
Texans were asked to conserve energy from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday as temperatures climb over 100 degrees for much of the state.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is holding a news conference on Wednesday to announce its new campaign to provide reliable information to Texans about the power grid.
On Wednesday, officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, shared a seasonal assessment that shows extreme temperatures over the summer may put the state in an energy crunch. These worries stem from what officials with the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and ERCOT said is Texasā failure to keep up with population growth in terms of the grid.
Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake said renewable energy could be critical to preventing power outages this summer. Renewable energy supporters said the gridās reliability doesnāt hinge on wind and solar.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission of Texas are holding a press conference on Wednesday in Austin to update Texans on the status of the grid ahead of the upcoming summer.
The plants would be activated during emergencies. Lawmakers havenāt decided whether to pay for them through state funds or higher charges to electricity customers.
The actions by the Public Utility Commission led to billions of dollars of overcharges, the Austin-based court found. Itās not yet clear if the ruling will affect consumers.
The idea, which still lacks some important details and could be changed by state lawmakers, would change how electricity is paid for in tight times. We explain it for everyday Texans.
Thousands are accusing power companies, distribution companies, electric grid operators and others of failing to prepare properly for the February 2021 storm, creating a catastrophe.
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.
Many people and insurers sued the Electric Reliability Council of Texas after the 2021 freeze. The nonprofit says it shouldnāt be liable. The state Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in.
The U.S. Department of Energy granted permission for power plants to release more pollution than is normally allowed ā if grid conditions worsen.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders say Texans should protect their homes and vehicles as large portions of the state will experience dangerously cold temperatures.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the stateās main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage. The timestamp of each dashboard indicates when the information was last updated, according to ERCOTās website.
In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texasā electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Regulators say it would.
Changes to Texasā power grid have improved ERCOTās ability to keep power flowing during major winter storms, but in an extreme scenario, the grid could still face rolling blackouts, a seasonal assessment shows.
The governor shared the favorable forecast ā which is normal for the fall months ā ahead of a competitive race in which the gridās performance during last yearās fatal winter storm may factor into Texansā decisions at the polls.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas Board of Directors announced Tuesday the selection of Pablo Vegas to serve as the President and CEO for the Texas grid operator. Vegas will join ERCOT on October 1.
The state power grid operator has been run by an interim chief since the previous CEO was fired following the deadly 2021 winter storm that crashed much of the grid.
Locked in a potentially tight reelection race and facing criticism over the gridās 2021 collapse, the governor is exerting unprecedented influence over what the state grid operator shares with the public ā and who will be its next CEO.
While wind farms in the region could help power and lower energy costs for at least 9 million homes, significant infrastructure upgrades would be needed to supply electricity from the region to other parts of the state.
Cryptocurrency mining requires huge amounts of electricity, prompting concerns over the industryās environmental impact ā and whether the stateās grid can keep up.
As extreme weather becomes increasingly frequent, Texans said the power grid operatorās calls to conserve energy were a reminder the state still struggles to keep up with the growing power demand.