Fierce Network: What we know about NTIA’s (alleged) new BEAD memo

Sept. 18 — A leaked memo, initially posted on Broadband.io, said NTIA is using “tailored, state-by-state data to identify outlier, unreasonably expensive projects,” looking at factors such as geography, density and “local needs.”

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/what-we-know-about-ntias-alleged-new-bead-memo

Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Large Load Queue Has Tripled in Texas

Sept. 18 — Biggest coal plant in Texas offline for two years; peak demand is down, energy use is up in Texas; forward prices for 2026-2030 are up 15-20%; 70% of Texas’ large load queue is data centers.

https://www.douglewin.com/p/large-load-queue-has-tripled-in-texas

The Hill: Top Democrats call for Brendan Carr’s resignation in wake of Kimmel suspension

Sept. 18 — House Democratic leaders called for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr to resign Thursday after ABC announced it would stop airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” due to the host’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5509902-house-democrats-call-for-fcc-chair-resignation/

 

 

S&P Global: ERCOT surpasses CAISO in Q2 for most operating battery storage capacity in US

Sept. 17 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas took over as the US region with the most operating battery storage capacity, adding 51.5% of the 6.239 GW installed across the US in second-quarter 2025.

https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/091725-us-battery-storage-ercot-surpasses-caiso-in-q2-for-most-operating-battery-storage-capacity-in-us

Power Engineering: CPS Energy to acquire 1,632-MW gas portfolio for $1.38B in Southeast Texas

Sept. 16 — CPS Energy has entered an agreement to acquire a portfolio of four natural gas generation facilities, totaling 1,632 MW, from PROENERGY for $1.387 billion. The transaction, subject to standard net working capital adjustments, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025. Located in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market, the acquired assets include recently constructed peaking natural gas plants in Harris, Brazoria and Galveston Counties. The acquired assets are dual-fuel capable, providing CPS Energy future optionality to transition to a hydrogen fuel blend that could enable reduced carbon emissions.

www.power-eng.com/gas/cps-energy-to-acquire-1632-mw-gas-portfolio-for-1-38b-in-southeast-texas/

KAUZ Channel 6: Experts break down Texas ERCOT’s future: power and prices

Sept. 16 — Five Energy Advisory Services experts took a deep dive into the future of the Texas power grid on Tuesday, weighing in on market risks, energy prices and how long ERCOT’s run might last. Three representatives leading today’s webinar walked through ERCOT’s summer performance, spotlighted recent changes and offered a reality check on the challenges ahead.

https://www.newschannel6now.com/2025/09/17/experts-break-down-texas-ercots-future-power-prices/

Acko Drive: Musk’s SpaceX Acquires $17 Billion Wireless Spectrum In Major Push to Challenge Mobile Networks

Sept. 15 — Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced a whopping $17 billion acquisition of wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, marking the company’s biggest move yet into the mobile telecommunications market. The purchase is likely SpaceX’s move to transform its Starlink satellite Internet service into a mobile connectivity platform capable of challenging established telecom leaders.

https://ackodrive.com/news/musk-s-space-x-acquires-17-billion-wireless-spectrum-in-major-push-to-challenge-mobile-networks/

Broadband Breakfast: How NTIA is Asking States to Revise BEAD Plans

Sept. 12 — States may have to rebid their most expensive areas under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, according to two people familiar with the matter.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-ntia-is-asking-states-to-revise-bead-plans/

 

Institute: BEAD Non-deployment Funds: Going, Going, Gone?

Sept. 12 — We now know the next Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment fight, and it might be the biggest one yet. On September 5, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued a press release talking about the progress of the Benefit of the Bargain round for States to award BEAD funding.

https://www.benton.org/headlines/bead-nondeployment-funds-going-going-gone

 

Library Archives: Texas Libraries Are a Crucial Part of the State’s Broadband Future

Sept. 12 — The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) is tackling the digital divide with programs that expand infrastructure and digital opportunity across the state. Led by new Director Bryant Clayton and supported by Digital Opportunity Supervisor Omar Ledezma, and Outreach Coordinators Andrea Pacheco and Lauren Weber, the BDO plays a key role in keeping communities, internet providers, and local leaders connected to these efforts. Through newsletters, public roundtables, and ongoing conversations, they make sure communication flows both ways, helping the BDO understand what Texans need while keeping stakeholders informed about new opportunities.

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/librarydevelopments/2025/09/12/texas-broadband-future/

AOL: Oncor acquires big tract of land south of Dallas for new substation

Sept. 11 — Oncor is powering up an area south of Dallas. According to a release, Oncor Electric Delivery has purchased approximately 121 acres of undeveloped farmland in North Ellis County for the construction of an electric transmission/distribution substation.

https://www.aol.com/news/oncor-acquires-big-tract-land-153244979.html

 

12News (Beaumont): Public Utility Commission approves new Entergy power plants in Port Arthur, Cleveland

Sept. 11 — The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved Entergy Texas’ plan to build two new natural gas power plants that will add more than 1,200 megawatts of electricity to the Southeast Texas grid by 2028.

https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/power-city/public-utility-commission-approves-new-entergy-power-plants/502-b586fee9-2b08-4039-8d5a-31f7e648530f

 

CultureMap Dallas: Oncor acquires big tract of land south of Dallas for new substation

Sept. 11 — Oncor is powering up an area south of Dallas. According to a release, Oncor Electric Delivery has purchased approximately 121 acres of undeveloped farmland in North Ellis County for the construction of an electric transmission/distribution substation.

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/oncor-substation-waxahachie/

Benton Institute: The FCC Needs a Complete Picture of the Digital Divide

Sept. 11 — Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the FCC to determine each year whether broadband is “being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.” Last year, the FCC’s assessment was holistic – including broadband affordability, adoption, availability, and equitable access – the plate with the food. Unfortunately, the current FCC is backing away from that approach and wants Americans to be satisfied with an empty blue plate. The proposed approach reduces the measure to simply building, or planning to build, the infrastructure alone. We think that’s a big mistake.

https://www.benton.org/blog/fcc-needs-complete-picture-digital-divide

Utility Dive: Electric grid growing faster than anticipated: EIA

Sept. 10 — Utility-scale solar will lead the pack in generation growth this year, said the Energy Information Administration, while natural gas generation is expected to decline due to high fuel prices.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-grid-growth-generation-natural-gas-solar/759745

 

Broadband Breakfast: FCC Proposal to Scale Back Broadband Standards Draws Fire

Sept. 10 — As it prepares its annual broadband deployment report, the Federal Communications Commission is confronting sharp divisions over whether to scale back long-term gigabit standards.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposal-to-scale-back-broadband-standards-draws-fire/

 

CSR Journal: Trump States America’s Oil Industry Cleaner, Data Suggests Otherwise

Sept. 10 — According to a first-of-its-kind analysis of permit applications to the Railroad Commission of Texas by international agencies, the state’s main oil and gas regulator operates under a rubber-stamp system that allows drillers to emit large amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere. For over 40 months, between May 2021 and September 2024, oil companies applied for more than 12,000 flaring and venting permits, https://naturheilpraxis-hauri.ch/ while the Railroad Commission rejected just 53 of them. This means the approval rate was 99.6%.

https://thecsrjournal.in/trump-states-americas-oil-industry-cleaner-data-suggests-otherwise/

ArsTechnica: Can we please keep our broadband money, Republican governor asks Trump admin

Sept. 10 — Trump’s Commerce Department rewrote the rules of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program, forcing states to change how they spend money earmarked for expanding broadband access. The overhaul led states to reduce spending on fiber networks and increase spending on satellite—although not to the extent sought by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who is demanding more money for his Starlink network.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/09/can-we-please-keep-our-broadband-money-republican-governor-asks-trump-admin/

Utility Dive: Solar, storage are booming, but federal policy is driving costs higher

Sept. 9 — Beyond the solid top-line numbers, however, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and recent Trump administration actions targeting solar “have significantly reduced deployment forecasts,” SEIA said in a Monday statement.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/solar-storage-are-booming-but-federal-policy-is-driving-up-costs-and-ris/759478

 

KPRC TV: Why your CenterPoint bill keeps climbing, and how it can again

Sept 9 — It feels a bit like whack-a-mole trying to keep track of all the increases CenterPoint is applying to electric bills. As soon as regulators are successful in getting the company to lower the amount it wants to raise rates, CenterPoint is back with a new request for something else.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/09/09/why-your-centerpoint-bill-keeps-climbing-and-how-it-can-again/

Yahoo Finance: How the Anson Gas Explosion Lawsuit at Atmos Energy (ATO) Has Changed Its Investment Story

Sept. 8 —In April 2025, a house explosion in Anson, Texas, allegedly caused by a leaking gas pipe left behind by Atmos Energy, resulted in catastrophic injuries to a technician and led to a lawsuit filed by the Potts Law Firm on behalf of the victim and his spouse.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/anson-gas-explosion-lawsuit-atmos-141610806.html

BroadbandBreakfast: States Report Major Cost Savings in BEAD Broadband Proposals

Sept. 8 — State broadband officials reported dramatic cost reductions and diverse technology deployments as most states faced a deadline of Thursday, Sept. 4, to submit final proposals for the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program during a Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-report-major-cost-savings-in-bead-broadband-proposals/

Bloomberg: Freeport LNG export plant in Texas on track to take in more natgas on Monday after outage

Sept. 8 — U.S. liquefied natural gas company Freeport LNG’s export plant in Texas was on track to take in more natural gas on Monday in a sign that a liquefaction train that shut on Saturday was likely back in service, according to data from financial firm LSEG and a company filing with state environmental regulators.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/international/2025/09/08/freeport-lng-export-plant-in-texas-on-track-to-take-in-more-natgas-on-monday-after-outage/

 

PCMag: SpaceX Poised to Receive $300 Million in Broadband Funds to Serve 200K Locations

Sept. 8 — Wes Robinson, a director at Texas-based Eastex Telephone Cooperative, has been tracking the numbers and initially pointed out the large amount of funding both companies will receive. His figures are slightly higher since he also counted “community anchor institutions,” which are schools, libraries, and colleges that’ll be covered under BEAD.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-poised-to-receive-300-million-in-broadband-funds-to-serve-200k-locations

 

CNBC: SpaceX buys wireless spectrum from EchoStar in $17 billion deal

Sept. 8 — The companies also agreed to a deal that will enable EchoStar’s Boost Mobile subscribers to access Starlink direct-to-cell service to extend satellite service to areas without service.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/08/echostar-to-sell-spectrum-licenses-to-spacex-for-17-billion.html

Reuters: SpaceX buys wireless spectrum from EchoStar in $17 billion deal

Sept. 8 — Elon Musk’s SpaceX said Monday it will buy wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar (SATS.O), opens new tab for its Starlink satellite network for about $17 billion, a major deal crucial to expanding Starlink’s nascent 5G connectivity business.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/spacex-buys-wireless-spectrum-echostar-17-billion-deal-2025-09-08/

KXAN: Trade group unveils interactive tool that tracks federal broadband funding disbursements

Sept. 8 — CN’s BEAD Tracker compiles and aggregates state BEAD final proposals, highlighting how each state and U.S. territory intends to use their allocated federal BEAD dollars. That includes the total number of locations that will be served in each state, the distribution of the kind of broadband technology being funded, and how many locations will be served by each internet service provider (ISP).

— Keep Reading

Broadband Communities: 20 states and territories given short-term BEAD extensions by NTIA

Sept. 5 — South Dakota, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Utah were also among the states and territories marked as not yet having submitted their revised final BEAD proposal to NTIA.

https://bbcmag.com/20-states-and-territories-given-short-term-bead-extensions-by-ntia/

Texas Energy & Power newsletter:  New Residential Demand Response Proposal in Texas

Sept. 5 — Batteries break records each of last two nights; 2 GW of mostly solar + storage entered commercial operations in ERCOT last month; ERCOT unveils proposal for residential demand response program

https://www.douglewin.com/p/batteries-ftw-in-tx-grid-roundup

Benton Institute: More BEAD Draft Final Proposals Are Released for Public Comment

Sept. 4 — Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program draft final proposals continue to pour in as each state prepares to submit its final plans to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Each state is deciding how to connect its un- and underserved locations in what is called the Benefit of the Bargain application round.

— Keep Reading

Benton Institute: FCC in turmoil as senior staff exit amid internal power struggle for Trump’s blessing

Sept. 3 — President Donald Trump is struggling to maintain control of the Federal Communications Commission as internal warfare has now erupted among power brokers at the agency. Apparently, rival pro-Trump factions have been fighting for the president’s favor and control over the administration’s telecommunications agenda.

— Keep Reading

 

Benton Institute: Commissioner Gomez on FCC Proposal to Rip Away Connectivity for Students and Seniors

Sept. 3 — Millions of students and seniors depend on hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi for homework and tele-health services. Now the FCC is moving to strip that connectivity away while doing nothing to make broadband more affordable.

— Keep Reading

 

Reuters: US FCC chair wants to end government subsidies for school bus WiFi use

Sept. 3 — The chair of the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday proposed ending subsidies for wireless use on school buses after they were initially created under a COVID-era program.

— Keep Reading

 

Houston Chronicle: Texas targets massive energy users with new emergency law

Sept. 3 — A new Texas law that took effect Monday gives the Electric Reliability Council of Texas(ERCOT) the authority to order large electricity users—like crypto mines, data centers and industrial plants—to shut down or switch to backup power during grid emergencies.

— Keep Reading

 

Broadband Breakfast: Carr Looking to Scrap FCC Funding for Off-campus Wi-Fi

Sept. 3 — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, still wants to bar the agency from instituting similar policies in the future.

— Keep Reading

 

Houston Public Media: Houston residents to see higher electricity bills following CenterPoint’s winter rate adjustment

Sept. 3 — As of Sept. 1, the average bill for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity will increase by $13.50 after CenterPoint made a semiannual adjustment to its charge for power transmission and delivery. That charge is expected to decrease next March.

— Keep Reading

 

KETK: U.S. Broadband Infrastructure Under Siege: New Initiative Targets Escalating Network Vandalism

Sept. 3 — America’s broadband infrastructure is under unprecedented criminal attack by increasing levels of vandalism, leaving critical emergency services offline, hospitals struggling to function, law enforcement and government services disrupted and communities vulnerable. In response, the broadband industry has launched an initiative aimed at confronting what is increasingly recognized as a serious national security crisis.

—  Keep Reading

ProPublica: New Data Shows Massive Emissions From Texas Wells

Sept. 3 — Texas regulators rejected just 53 out of more than 12,000 applications from oil companies looking to burn off natural gas in the study period. The state misses out on many millions of dollars of potential tax revenue from natural gas that the industry burns off or vents instead of processing and selling.

— Keep Reading

 

Benton Institute: Delete, Delete, Delete: How FCC Republicans are killing rules faster than ever

Sept 3 — The Federal Communications Commission’s Republican chairman is eliminating regulations at breakneck speed by using a process that cuts dozens of rules at a time while giving the public only 10 or 20 days to review each proposal and submit objections.

— Keep Reading

 

Odessa American: Public Utility Commission of Texas celebrates 50 years of serving Texans

Sept. 2 — The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on Tuesday officially marks 50 years of service to the State of Texas. The PUCT was created by the Public Utility Regulatory Act of 1975. On Sept. 2, 1975, the first three PUCT commissioners were sworn in and held the Commission’s first meeting.

— Keep Reading

 

Broadband Breakfast: Fiber Still in Line for Two-thirds of BEAD Locations

Sept. 2  — At least two more states reported their tentative grant winners under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, bringing the total to at least 32.

— Keep Reading

Power Magazine: Geothermal Breakthrough in South Texas Signals New Era for ERCOT

Sept. 2 —In just 12 months, Sage Geosystems and San Miguel Electric Cooperative built the world’s first pressure geothermal system. It is now poised to deliver long-duration, dispatchable storage for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) as variable generation and data center demand surge.

— Keep Reading

San Angelo Live:  San Saba River at Center of Transmission Line Battle

Sept. 1 — A proposed 200-mile, 765-kilovolt transmission line through Central Texas is facing sharp criticism from residents, environmental groups, and local officials who say it threatens property, health, and the San Saba River’s fragile ecosystem.

— Keep Reading

 

SCI NEWS:  Innovative Broadband Optical Fibers Could Improve Telecommunications

Sept. 2 — Instead of a traditional solid glass core, the newly-developed optical fibers feature a core of air surrounded by a meticulously engineered glass microstructure to guide light. This design increases transmission speeds by 45% and allows more data to be transmitted over further distances before it requires boosting.

— Keep Reading

 

Broadband Breakfast:  With ACP Gone, California Turns to LifeLine for Broadband Relief

Sept. 2 — California is testing whether its long-running LifeLine phone subsidy can help low-income households pay for broadband too.