The Latest Breaking News from PUC

Texas utility regulators are hawking a costly policy for grid reliability.

LOS ANGELES — Brent Eldridge had heard that prices for natural gas were high this winter, but nothing prepared him for how bad it could be.

AUSTIN, Texas — The independent authority for Texas’ power grid operator ERCOT has a novel idea for how state officials should tackle restructuring Texas’ electricity market in the wake of 2021′s deadly winter storm: do nothing.

An uprising by a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, town's residents who are unhappy about the privatization of their town's sewer system moved into uncharted territory this month with the creation of a panel to rewrite the town's governing charter to block the sale of the town's wastewater utility.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Higher monthly bills might jolt PG&E customers due to the utility’s request that state regulators allow the company to collect more revenue for its spending linked to wildfires and catastrophes.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas expects sufficient electricity generation as much of the state will plunge into frigid temperatures.

The dueling approaches are coming into focus as lawmakers prepare to return to Austin for the session which begins Jan. 10.

In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas’ electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Regulators say it would.

Patrick, who presides over the Senate and wields tremendous power over legislation, said lawmakers have an “extraordinary opportunity” to shape the future of Texas at the start of the next legislative session, which begins Jan. 10.