Page 5 - Tim Morstad News Today

The shutoff moratorium was in place for the better part of 2020 due to the crushing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and three now-resigned PUC commissioners reinstated it in response to the further financial hardships caused by the February winter storm. The moratorium will be lifted on June 18, two days before a forecasted hotter-than-normal summer arrives, and shutoffs can resume in the final week of the month.

More financial fallout is likely on the way for utility customers in the wake of the February freeze.

AUSTIN — Late-hour compromises over electricity legislation would provide natural gas companies time to show they’re not part of the power generation “supply...

/ We want to feature the voices of the people most impacted by electricity shut offs. If this news affects you, reach out to dominic@tpr.org or leave a voicemail at (210) 615-8982. Despite hotter-than-normal summer temperatures in the forecast, private electricity companies are pressuring the Public Utility Commission of Texas, or PUC, to allow power shutoffs for people who haven’t paid their bills. Many Texans are behind on electricity bills: nearly 170,000 in San Antonio and about 50,000 ...

KPRC 2 Investigates: How much are you paying for electricity deregulation? Published:  Updated:  Tags:  HOUSTON – Cheap and reliable electricity was the biggest selling point for the deregulation of the Texas electricity market. Now, 20 years after deregulation and weeks after the historic failure of the power grid, KPRC 2 Investigates reveals Texans have overpaid more than $28 billion for electricity. Right now, on the state’s Power to Choose website, there are 134 options for electric ...

Consumer advocates say this one change could help electric customers Tags:  HOUSTON – Deregulating the electric market in Texas gave consumers the choice of which power company they want to pay for their electricity, but weeding through the providers and plans is not easy. It takes time and focus. Even when you think you’ve read everything, there are “gotchas” and fine print that can stick you with a higher bill than you thought you’d be paying. It’s why some consumer advocates wan...

Opinion In the high-stakes game of electricity reform, let’s push all poker chips to the center of the table Two consumer advocates tell The Watchdog what laws the Legislature needs to pass now. Watchdog Dave Lieber says its time for Texans to push state legislators to support smart pro-consumer fixes of the broken electricity system. He writes that we should push all our chips to the center of the table. Bet big! Contact your state legislators and tell them whats important to you.(Steve Marc...

House speaker pushes using Texas savings, Biden relief money to help weatherproof power plants Loans funded with the state’s “rainy day” dollars could spur weatherization and help Texas avoid a repeat of last month’s blackouts, Speaker Dade Phelan says. Updated at 2:48 p.m., March 12, 2021: to include White House spokeswoman’s comment about Phelan’s idea of using federal money and note introduction in Texas House of legislation to create “SURF” fund. AUSTIN — House Speaker...

Experts worry the remaining corporations will become “huge monsters that can't fail,” which could stifle competition and increase costs for ratepayers in the long-term.

AUSTIN — A push to reverse $16 billion in costs incurred by market participants during power failures in last month’s winter storm is gaining steam as...