American Public Power Association: ERCOT Board Advances Batch Study Approach to Large Loads
June 3 — “Batch Zero is necessary as ERCOT intends to transition the Large Load interconnection process from an individual study-based approach to a batch study-based approach that allocates available transmission capacity for studied and committed Large Loads,” ERCOT’s media relations department told Public Power Current.
https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/ercot-board-advances-batch-study-approach-large-loads
E&E News: Texas advances major grid rules for data centers
June 3 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas approved changes Tuesday that could help the state connect a slew of new projects.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/texas-advances-major-grid-rules-for-data-centers/
Community Impact: ERCOT forecasts record electric demand this summer amid data center boom; says grid will hold up
June 3 — ERCOT, which operates the power grid for the majority of Texas, is forecasting high temperatures and moderate rainfall this summer. Coupled with the proliferation of data centers and other large projects, demand on the grid could surpass 92 gigawatts, officials estimated June 2.
https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/government/2026/06/03/ercot-forecasts-record-electric-demand-this-summer-amid-data-center-boom-says-grid-will-hold-up/
Fox 26: Family sues City of Houston after 9-year-old allegedly shocked by light pole at F.M. Law Park
June 3 — A Houston mother is speaking out after her 9-year-old son was allegedly shocked by a light pole at a city park, weeks before another boy was hospitalized after touching the same pole. The family has filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Houston, CenterPoint Energy and other parties.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/family-sues-city-houston-after-9-year-old-allegedly-shocked-light-pole-f-m-law-park.amp
San Diego Union-Tribune: Activist investor group wants Sempra to spin off its Texas utility company
June 3 — An activist investor group that holds stock in Sempra is calling on the company to spin off one of its biggest assets, saying the San Diego-based energy giant has an “opportunity to unlock significant value through simplification.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/activist-investor-group-wants-sempra-to-spin-off-its-texas-utility-company/ar-AA24LCcz
Daily Energy Insider: CenterPoint Energy deploys new platform to respond to extreme weather
June 2 — The company has deployed a planning and operations platform developed in collaboration with Technosylva, a leading provider of wildfire, flooding, and extreme weather modeling. The decision-support software used by utilities, insurers, and public agencies to better anticipate risk, support operational response, and deliver better outcomes for customers.
https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/52526-centerpoint-energy-deploys-new-platform-to-respond-to-extreme-weather/
Houston Public Media: ERCOT predicts record summer energy demand
June 3 — Energy experts say a growth in renewables will help the state’s power grid meet increasing demand this summer.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/infrastructure/2026/06/03/553633/ercot-predicts-record-summer-energy-demand/
Office of Texas Governor: Governor Greg Abbott Announces $200 Million Texas Energy Fund Grant For Electric Reliability In Northeast Texas
June 3 — Governor Greg Abbott today announced the second agreement under the Texas Energy Fund (TxEF) Outside-ERCOT Grant Program (OEGP) with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO). The grant, administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), funds a project that will upgrade approximately 700 miles of power equipment in Northeast Texas, ensuring electric reliability for more than 192,000 Texas consumers.
https://gov.texas.gov/es/news/post/governor-greg-abbott-announces-200-million-texas-energy-fund-grant-for-electric-reliability-in-northeast-texas
Denton Record Chronicle: Denton City Council takes first step toward a possible moratorium on AI data centers
June 2 — The Denton City Council began the process Tuesday to explore a temporary moratorium on data centers after council members voted unanimously to give staff direction to move forward with gathering information.
https://dentonrc.com/news/denton/denton-city-council-takes-first-step-toward-a-possible-moratorium-on-ai-data-centers/article_e8fd6f19-3e4c-4d4c-91b8-f54a59ba2446.html
Big Spring Herald: PUCT Executes Agreement for Second Texas Energy Fund Completion Bonus Grant
June 2 — The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) enters the second Texas Energy Fund (TxEF) Completion Bonus Grant (CBG) Program agreement. The grant agreement is with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) for Timmerman Unit 2, the 188-megawatt (MW) second unit of their Timmerman Power Plant in Caldwell County. The CBG Program awards grants for qualifying electric generation projects that will supply power to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid before June 1, 2029.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/big-spring-herald/20260602/281590952234509
CW39: Houston cooling centers open as Reliant offers bill help, free AC units
June 2 — These centers provide air-conditioned space, along with snacks, refreshments, and activities for visitors. Locations span neighborhoods across the city, including Acres Homes, Alief, Denver Harbor, Fifth Ward, Hiram Clarke, Kashmere, Magnolia, Northeast Houston, Southwest Houston, Sunnyside, Third Ward and the West End.
https://cw39.com/news/local/houston-cooling-centers-open/
Houston Public Media: There are more than 20 summertime cooling centers where Houston-area residents can escape the heat
June 2 — An $80,000 donation by Reliant Energy is helping to support 22 cooling centers in Houston and Harris County, along with another 17 sites across Texas.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/public-safety/2026/06/02/553450/houston-cooling-center-harris-county-texas-reliant-beat-the-heat/?amp=1
Houston Public Media: ERCOT votes to streamline process for data centers looking to join the power grid
June 2 — The state has faced a backlog of large energy consumers who want to connect to the Texas power grid.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2026/06/02/553505/ercot-votes-to-streamline-process-for-data-centers-looking-to-join-the-power-grid/
E&E News: Texas takes aim at threat of ‘cascading’ outages
June 2 — The state’s main grid operator is poised to vote on rules that could keep data centers from tripping offline during power blips.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/texas-takes-aim-at-threat-of-cascading-outages/
Houston Chronicle: Texas data centers could face new restrictions during power outages
June 2 — Are data centers a threat to the reliability of Texas’ power grid?
https://www.chron.com/news/article/ercot-data-center-restrictions-22287481.php
Solar Quarter: Texas Solar Generation Set To Surpass Coal Power In ERCOT For The First Time In 2026 – EIA
June 2 — Solar power is set to achieve a major milestone in Texas, as electricity generation from utility-scale solar projects is expected to exceed coal-fired generation for the first time in 2026 within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid. According to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, solar generation is projected to reach 78 billion kilowatt-hours (BkWh) in 2026, while coal generation is expected to remain at around 60 BkWh.
https://solarquarter.com/2026/06/02/texas-solar-generation-set-to-surpass-coal-power-in-ercot-for-the-first-time-in-2026-eia/
KPRC: CenterPoint Energy kicks off 2026 hurricane season with grid resiliency upgrades in Houston
June 2 — CenterPoint Energy is gearing up for the 2026 hurricane season with 68,000 new storm-resilient poles, advanced weather tech and major grid upgrades across Houston.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/06/02/centerpoint-energy-kicks-off-2026-hurricane-season-with-major-grid-resiliency-upgrades-in-houston/
Texas Standard: As data centers flock to Texas, ERCOT tries to decide which projects are feasible
June 2 — The state’s grid operator will vote Tuesday on whether to begin a study of data centers, known as “Batch Zero,” that would use a new evaluation process for adding projects to the grid.
https://texasstandard.org/stories/texas-data-centers-ercot-energy-use/
KPRC: Looking for a job? Houston-area company hiring 300+ workers to strengthen power grid after Beryl
June 1 — Fiberglass power poles made in Humble could keep your lights on during next hurricane
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/06/01/resilient-structures-hiring-hundreds-in-humble-to-build-hurricane-resistant-power-poles/
The Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: $6.5 billion in transmission projects, batch zero closure, and the questions that follow
June 1 — Where ERCOT predicts large load interconnection and transmission are headed.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/65-billion-in-transmission-projects
Texas Observer: TEXAS NIGHTS ARE GETTING HOTTER, AND THE POWER GRID ISN’T READY
June 1 — The state grid was built on the assumption that demand would fall at night. As hotter evenings and around-the-clock power use erase that drop, the system is being pushed in ways its original design did not fully anticipate.
https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-power-grid-overnight-demand-summer/
Fortune: The U.S. power grid isn’t one big machine — it’s three. That’s a problem for blackout season
May 30 — Beyond the immediate human and economic toll, major blackouts like these often leave behind the same unsettling contrast: One region goes dark while nearby places still have power.
https://fortune.com/2026/05/30/us-grid-not-one-big-machine-three-blackouts/
Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Interstate power companies herald ERCOT operations in 1Q earnings
May 29 — Surging Texan electricity demand (and lagging supply) was a big issue in the first-quarter earnings season for merchant power producers and utilities.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/interstate-power-companies-herald
Power Engineering: EIA: Natural gas generation to remain flat this summer, with a record peak expected in 2027
May 29 — The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast that natural gas consumption in the U.S. power sector will remain “near recent highs” this summer, while a new record is expected for summer 2027.
https://www.power-eng.com/gas/eia-natural-gas-generation-to-remain-flat-this-summer-with-a-record-peak-expected-in-2027/
KWTX: Oncor responds to Bell County landowners’ claims of inadequate notification on powerline project
May 28 — Oncor Electric Delivery Company said it followed all state notification requirements for a proposed 765 kilovolt transmission line project after Bell County landowners filed a motion claiming they were not properly notified about plans that could affect their property.
https://www.kwtx.com/2026/05/29/bell-county-landowners-file-motion-put-stop-powerline-project-after-lack-notification-plans-oncor-they-say/
KTWX: “Texas is already strained”: Data center opposition builds in Waco over water, electricity concerns
May 28 — A new Gallup poll shows about 7 in 10 Americans oppose building data centers in their local area. That opposition gained momentum at a public forum hosted at the Waco Bridge, where residents and experts discussed concerns over water use, power demand and quality-of-life impacts tied to multiple proposed data centers in the area.
https://www.kwtx.com/video/2026/05/29/texas-is-already-strained-data-center-opposition-builds-waco-over-water-electricity-concerns/
KXXV: Neighbors seek to delay 765 kV transmission line hearing over notification claims
May 28 — Opponents of a 15-county high-voltage transmission line project say they were improperly notified about proposed routes and are now pushing to slow down the hearing.
https://www.kxxv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/bell-county/neighbors-seek-to-delay-765-kv-transmission-line-hearing-over-notification-claims
ERCOT forecasts, this summer in Southeast Texas deserves the full attention of city leaders, utilities, and residents alike.
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/73003/20260528/houston-about-cooked-ercots-grid-faces-its-most-consequential-summer-yet.htm
Energy Storage News: ERCOT incentivises grid-forming BESS with US$25 million programme
May 28 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has initiated a programme to encourage battery energy storage systems (BESS) and other inverter-based resources to adopt grid-forming technology.
https://www.energy-storage.news/ercot-incentivises-grid-forming-bess-with-us25-million-programme/
US EIA: Natural gas for power generation flat this summer, record high expected in 2027
ay 28 — We forecast natural gas consumption by the U.S. electric power sector this summer will remain near recent highs and set a record next summer in our May Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). Despite a 2% increase in overall U.S. electricity demand this summer, we expect natural gas-fired electricity generation to be similar to last summer, primarily because of forecast increased generation from renewables.
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67725
Index Box: ERCOT Launches Grid-Forming Technology Incentive Program for Battery Storage
May 28 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has launched a program to promote the adoption of grid-forming technology among battery energy storage systems and other inverter-based resources, according to a report from Energy-Storage.news.
https://www.indexbox.io/blog/ercot-launches-grid-forming-technology-incentive-program-for-battery-storage/