Raphael Warnock, Kevin Stitt, Dolores Huerta, Maggie Haberman and other prominent voices in American political and civic life join us in Austin next month

The state’s power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbott’s 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.

In this week's episode, the TribCast crew is joined by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and economy reporter Paul Cobler. They discuss the anger in rural Texas over data centers and power lines, and ask Miller why he thinks it means Democrats could win a statewide race in November.

What information is accessible about a data center project can differ from place to place and depend on whether a project seeks out tax breaks, whether it needs local rezoning or special permits, and how it will get its power and water.

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 state’s 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 state’s attorney general sued the Biden administration in 2024, citing incomplete data for the updated endangered status of the Permian Basin’s native dunes sagebrush lizard.

The request comes after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and Electric Reliability Council of Texas to further regulate data centers’ use of the power grid.

In honor of National Craft for Your Local Shelter Day, one Houston company is proving that even a simple handmade project can make a big difference.

Hurricane season is underway, and while Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to have little impact on the Houston area, now is the time to prepare. CenterPoint Energy representatives Caroline Geiger and Roderick Batteaux joined Houston Life to discuss the progress made through the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, the ongoing work to strengthen the electric grid, and the customer tools available before, during, and after severe weather.

Texarkana’s first lithium symposium marked a milestone for Texas lithium development, laying the groundwork for discussions on critical issues.

Despite efforts to boost domestic energy production, Mexico will continue to depend on Texas for natural gas, experts said, undermining its stated goals of energy independence.

A judge will hear arguments this week after industrial users protested a rate hike by the city, which said residents and businesses were unfairly subsidizing industrial rates.

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.

Galveston County alone is home to 22 refineries and chemical plants. Their level of emergency preparedness varies widely.

As Texas counties have faced hurdles to curb the rapid growth of data center developments, cities could have more success with banning them through their zoning laws, land experts say.

Rising demand for Texas natural gas by data centers and foreign nations has sparked a surge in pipeline projects

By the time the Texas Railroad Commission shut down nearby oilfield injection wells to control the leak, 1.5 million gallons of toxic wastewater had spilled to the surface.

Republican Bo French is keeping Islam, immigration and LGBTQ+ issues at the fore of his campaign for Texas’ oil regulatory agency. Democratic foe Jon Rosenthal is betting on his technical expertise.

The recommendations for legislative action amount to a striking call for industry regulation by the Republican governor in a state that has long prided itself on being a favorable environment for business.

A Texas Tribune analysis identified at least 248 planned data center projects. Opponents fear the projects will spike Texans’ 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.

June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season and a familiar tension settles over Houston.

Lacy Lakeview, a Waco suburb, said it is considering a data center project in efforts to boost their spending power to repair aging roads.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows all supported French’s opponent.

John Cornyn is trying to fend off Ken Paxton. Both parties are picking attorney general nominees. And an oil and gas regulatory race has become uncharacteristically costly.

Facing limited options, oil industry turns to AI to handle wastewater from oil production. Producers discovered other uses to streamline the process.

In the GOP runoff for Texas Railroad commissioner, billionaires, big oil companies and trade groups flood the campaign pockets of candidates Jim Wright and Bo French.

Here’s what you should know about the market forces at play and what higher prices mean for oil companies and the state.

After years of trying to stop offshore wind projects, the Trump administration is now pausing routine federal permits for 165 land-based projects, including dozens in Texas.

Lacy Lakeview’s hasty approach to the data center project has alienated the Waco officials who would control water service to the site. “Without the City of Waco agreeing to it, Lacy Lakeview can’t do anything out there and neither can Infrakey," State Rep. Pat Curry said. "Those guys don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”

James Talarico, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, has pushed to suspend the federal gas tax amid soaring fuel costs. Cornyn previously opposed the idea.

Data centers are largely driving the sudden rise in natural gas power projects on the waiting list to connect to Texas' grid.

Data center construction is unpopular among locals, and a majority of the facilities are being proposed in red, rural counties. That puts Texas Republicans in a tough spot, as the White House has encouraged states to let the centers flourish.

The lieutenant governor endorsed state Sen. Mayes Middleton over U.S. Rep. Chip Roy for the Republican attorney general nod. And he backed Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright over challenger Bo French.

The proposal is part of a package from the Casar-led Congressional Progressive Caucus focused on cost of living. It’s unlikely to go anywhere but could give Democrats a campaign blueprint.

As Texas lawmakers prepare to tackle the thorny data center issue next session, what can we learn from Virginia's experience?

Texas builders struggle to finish new homes to meet growth as data centers with deeper pockets poach electricians.

A trade group argued that a federal gas tax suspension would be unlikely to show up in savings for drivers and would diminish needed infrastructure revenue.

Jackie Chesnutt, who lives outside San Angelo, is tired of pollution from nearly inactive wells. Experts say Texas rules allow companies to defer plugging wells for far too long.

Government watchdogs raised conflict-of-interests concerns, but Christian said his involvement in the venture is “separate” from his elected position on the Railroad Commission.

Tesla’s Giga Texas water use jumped more than 200 million gallons — by about 60% — in two years, as massive chip plant proposal raises concerns about Austin’s strained supply.

Production in West Texas has helped the U.S. stabilize its demand for foreign oil amid the Iran war, despite drilling fewer oil wells.

The tax break is one of the state’s costliest incentive programs and soon to be the most expensive of its kind in the nation.

Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks made their fortune in the oil business. They’ve deployed millions of dollars to pull the Texas GOP and Legislature toward their hardline stances.

Texas power is rising. Leaders warn cost and reliability are on the line.

A fire at Valero’s Port Arthur refinery has been brought under control. All personnel are safe, and officials reported no recordable injuries following the incident, the company confirmed on Tuesday.

The city’s water supply has been nearly depleted by a prolonged drought and a recent boon of oil refineries in the area. Locals have been limiting outdoor watering, shower time and car washes.

The city produces 5% of the nation’s refined products like gas and jet fuel, and experts say a serious water shortage could force production down and push fuel prices up even further.

Oil and gas companies have said the region needs more power. Environmentalists and a conservative think tank worry the state is moving too fast — and ratepayers will see the costs in their bills.

Texas’ status as the nation’s largest oil producer will partially insulate its residents from some gas price hikes, but it’s not immune to disruptions, experts say.

Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the announcement on Tuesday, crediting Texas’ legal environment. Exxon has based its operations in the Houston area since 1989.

If your energy bills seem to climb higher every summer, your windows could be part of the problem. The Window Source of Houston shows us you how upgrading your windows could help you save money and stay more comfortable at home.

City officials expect to reach a “water emergency” within months and run out of water next year. That would halt jet fuel deliveries to Texas airports, hike gas prices and trigger a local economic disaster without precedent, former officials say.

The Texas Railroad Commission is responsible for regulating the state’s oil and gas industry. The election included a clash over China and diversity rules.

Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the attack on Iran, and energy analysts say the fallout could quickly reach Texas drivers’ wallets.

A company is repurposing the batteries to store electricity and sell it to the grid when power from wind and solar dwindles.

A damaged Xcel pole owned sparked the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest in state history.

As President Donald Trump seeks to boost U.S. investment in Venezuela’s oil fields, Mexico is poised to export less heavy crude to Gulf refineries, creating an opening for Venezuelan oil.

Identifying falsified or digitally enhanced videos, photos and ads takes attention and awareness, but helpful tools are out there.

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.

Texans from Waco to Harlingen are raising concerns over how much energy and water data centers are poised to use. Local officials, some enticed by a tax boon, say they have little power to stop the rush.

Jim Wright, the GOP incumbent, and several other Republican candidates dismissed Bo French’s campaign rhetoric as distracting from the Railroad Commission’s mission.

The Railroad Commission regulates energy infrastructure across Texas. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries and where they stand.

Lack of a state floodplain policy enabled oil companies to build in parts of Texas hit by an epic inundation less than 30 years ago.

The developer of one project, in Pecos County, calls it the largest power project in the U.S. Data centers are sparking a surge of gas power plant construction in Texas.

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.

TribCast dives into the potentially Texas-sized repercussions of President Trump's plan to get U.S. companies to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry.

East Texas experienced some of the worst freezing rain. Dense forests and icy roads are making it more difficult to restore electricity.

Even mild winter storms can disrupt daily life in unexpected ways. Dr. Fares, a Water Security Professor at Prairie View A&M University, explains how extreme weather impacts food, water, energy, and health, and shares tips on how communities can prepare and stay resilient

As temperatures drop, many homeowners are looking for ways to stay warm without racking up high energy bills.

Meta’s planned data center could be El Paso’s biggest electricity user. Some residents worry that a new power plant to run it would worsen air pollution and guzzle water.

Cleaning up oilfield pollution in arid West Texas is costly and complicated. The bankruptcy process allows companies to move on while the public pays the price.

As artificial intelligence pushes demand for more data centers, companies are drawn to the state’s relatively inexpensive land and natural gas that can run on-site power plants.

A possible flood of South American oil would hinder the state’s production of fuel, some experts say, making it hard to break even on costs.

ERCOT is making a first attempt at a planning process in which multiple requests will be considered simultaneously.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts the strongest four-year growth in U.S. electricity demand since 2000, driven largely by rising power needs from data centers and other large computing facilities.

After an industrial building boom on Corpus Christi Bay, the city is drilling wells to meet water demand, and rural Nueces County residents say their own wells are being impacted.

Salem Abraham claims Minnesota-based Xcel Energy has not lived up to its promise of protecting the region from wildfires. The company vehemently disagrees.

Texas-based oil companies have largely been silent on Trump’s assertion that they would help to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.

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Dozens of energy developers, experts and politicians say there were some highs amid a lot of lows in a roller coaster year for clean energy as President Donald Trump worked to boost polluting fuels while stymying wind and solar.

As oil and gas industry traffic continues to speed through Pecos, TxDOT said it is working to find $194 million to build an alternative route away from the heart of the city.

The lawsuit alleges Minnesota-based Xcel Energy failed to maintain utility poles that started the 2024 Panhandle fire that killed three people and thousands of livestock.

One of three possible routes would border the North Texas park. The project is part of a statewide effort to keep pace with Texas’ rapidly growing energy needs.

The project is at a scale of industrial development and investment unmatched in McLennan County’s history: acres of computer hardware, substations and a 1.2-gigawatt gas-fired plant capable of powering about 300,000 homes.

Hear conversations on the issues shaping Texas and the nation, including education, the economy, politics, public policy, the arts and more.

The EPA handed over power to the Railroad Commission after a two-year review. Critics say the commission has been too lax with the industry.

French will face commission Chair Jim Wright in the Republican primary. The three-person panel is in charge of the agency that oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry.

Abbott framed his campaign as a means to keep Texas as a conservative bastion, touting efforts to lower property taxes, bolster education and strengthen public safety.

As companies look to build projects that consume more power than cities, the state’s grid manager is trying to plan how to provide enough electricity to meet the demand.

The new data center will work directly with a nearby windfarm to use energy the windfarm can’t send to the state’s electricity grid.

Leaders of the effort say they moved to rural Hood County for its quiet country charm, which was shattered by what locals call “that roar” from the facility.

Local leaders see data centers, which help power the world’s shift to artificial intelligence, as a way to keep their towns open. Residents worry their way of life — and water — is at stake.

This week, Matthew and Eleanor speak with Eric Goff, founder of an energy policy advising firm, about the growth of wind and solar power in Texas and whether it will continue after recent federal efforts targeting the industry.

The day after the four-term Houston lawmaker launched his statewide bid, his former chief of staff, Odus Evbagharu, announced he was running to succeed his former boss in the Texas House.

Texas’ congressional delegation obtained tentative funding for infrastructure improvements, university research and other initiatives, but the nearly 350 earmarks are all in jeopardy.

The low-interest loan to NRG Energy for a gas-fired power plant is the largest of three loans approved through the $7 billion fund since its creation in 2023.