Reuters: Texas power grid passes first of many tests to meet demand as heatwave lingers

July 27 — The Texas power grid passed the first of what could be many tests over the next week by meeting the highest demand this year on Monday without problems as homes and businesses cranked up their air conditioners to escape the latest heatwave.

— READ MORE

Corridor News: Texans not expected to lose power through the rest of the summer, regulators say

July 27 — The state’s electricity regulators said they’re taking steps to assure a skeptical public that the power won’t go out again if Texas experiences extreme weather this summer.

— READ MORE

Texas Standard: Renewables Come On Strong, But Aren’t Yet Growing Fast Enough To Eclipse Fossil Fuels

July 26 — Nations around the world are doubling down on renewable energy. Last week, Japan announced it is raising its 2030 green energy goals – aiming for 36 to 38% of the country’s power coming from renewables. And earlier this month, the European Union made a similar commitment, aiming to reach 40% renewable power by 2030. But where does the U.S. stand when it comes to prioritizing renewable energy sources?

— READ MORE

S&P Global: ERCOT power prices trade in triple digits on heat advisories, natural gas spikes

July 26 — East Texas and Southeast spot natural gas prices gained for the fifth consecutive trading session July 26, with prices across major hubs trading $3.90-$4.10/MMBtu amid an above-normal temperature outlook over the next two weeks.

— READ MORE

KUT: How Deregulation Laid The Foundation For Texas’ February Blackouts

July 26 — Executives in the Texas energy industry started to see themselves as part of the solution by looking for new ways to produce power. PURPA laid the foundation for the state to become the leader in wind energy that it is today. It also allowed new producers of energy to plug into the grid and provide power to the system, undoing the stranglehold the mini-monopolies had had.

— READ MORE

 

KUT: Here’s How Texas Lawmakers (And Enron) Shaped The State’s Electrical Market

July 23 — Deregulation was pitched as a way to lower Texans’ electricity bills by spurring competition in a market that was dominated by regional monopolies. But it also built in new threats to the system by allowing energy providers and traders to shift the blame and avoid accountability whenever the power supply became unreliable.

— READ MORE

 

Utility Dive: Texas PUC, ERCOT pledge ‘reliability is first’ as state pursues market reform

July 23 — Texas’ head utility regulator on Thursday said the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) intends to realign incentives related to how the state’s power grid procures resources, following a cold snap in February that led to devastating outages across the region.

— READ MORE

Texas Standard: ERCOT And Public Utility Commission Promise ‘Wholesale Change’ To Texas’ Electricity Market

July 23 — There are few details yet about what will change. But the organizations argue fixing the market will lead to a stronger grid.

— READ MORE

Houston Business Journal: CenterPoint Energy names new independent chairman, changing board structure

July 22 — One chairman steps down and an independent chair is appointed at Houston-based CenterPoint Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNP). The company said it’s changing its board leadership and governance structure.

— READ MORE